Stone, Staffordshire
Encyclopedia
Stone is an old market town in Staffordshire
, England
, situated about seven miles north of Stafford
, and around seven miles south of the city of Stoke-on-Trent
. It is the second town, after Stafford itself, in the Borough of Stafford
, and has long been of importance from the point of view of communications. Stone gave its name to both an urban district council and a rural district council before becoming part of the borough in 1974. In 2001 it had a population of 14,555.
, a powerful Anglian kingdom that later expanded over most of what is now the West Midlands. Christianity arrived via monks from Lindisfarne
around the year 650, King Penda of Mercia having invited them in. The capital was later moved to Stafford, and then to Tamworth
.
and Peak District
, where they had been seeking to stop a clandestine advance on London
by a force of 6,000 Jacobite
rebels thought to be using the old pack-horse routes over the high country in order to reach Derby. Stone was also strategic in preventing any break-away Jacobite group going across to Wales
to recruit more men there, which it became after the Jacobites took Derby. But with winter coming on, the Jacobites decided to retreat back to Scotland
- and so there was no confrontation in England.
", from the Old English
stān (stone).
The local story is that the town was named after the pile of stones taken from the River Trent
raised on the graves of the two princes, Ruffin and Wulfad, killed in AD 665 by their father, King Wulfhere of Mercia
, because of their conversion to Christianity
.
The Church, built over these stones in 670 lasted until the 9th century before being destroyed by invading Danes
. It was replaced in 1135 by the Augustinian Stone Priory
, which survived until its dissolution
in the reign of Henry VIII
. The building collapsed in 1749 and the present church of St. Michael's was built in 1758. All that remains of the original priory is the rib-vaulted
undercroft which forms the foundations beneath Priory House, which is located on Lichfield Street opposite the Frank Jordan Community Centre.
In 1251, Henry III
granted Stone a market
charter
.
Stone Urban District was an urban district
. It was based on the Stone civil parish which equates to the town of Stone. There were two amendments in parts of the Stone Rural parish in Stone Rural District
were transferred in. The district was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972
.
The replacement Stone Town Council forms part of Stafford Borough Council.
, and was an important stopping-off point for stagecoach
es on one of the roads turnpiked in the 18th century. A directory for 1851 says that Stone was a very lively town, and a great thoroughfare for coaches, carriers and travellers…. No fewer than 38 stage coaches passed through the town daily. The main coaching route was the London
to Holyhead
route, via Watling Street
as far as Lichfield
and then from Lichfield to Holyhead
via the A51
.
To support the coaching trade Stone was a principle stopping point with many coaching inn
s to refresh both horses and travellers. Notable hostelries include the Crown Hotel, Crown & Anchor, Red Lion and the Black Horse Inn.
Nowadays there are two trunk roads, the A34 linking Birmingham
to Manchester
and the A51
linking Lichfield to Chester
. Stone is by-passed by the M6 motorway
.
times but further inland smaller boats could only be used. Seasonal fluctuations in water depth proved insurmountable, although cargo could be carried from the sea as far south as Wilden Ferry (southeast of Derby
), where the River Derwent
joins the Trent and increases the quantity of water, then onwards by road. Prior to tarmac
roads, journeys overland by roads were slow and delicate wares were prone to breakages over the rough terrain.
James Brindley
, the canal builder, put forward the scheme to build what he called the Grand Trunk Canal to connect the two rivers, Mersey
and Trent in 1766. It was backed by Josiah Wedgwood
who saw that it offered an efficient way to bring raw materials to the potteries and to transport finished wares to his customers.
By 29 September 1772 (Brindley died on 27 September), 48 miles of the Grand Trunk Canal (now known as the Trent and Mersey Canal
) from Wilden Ferry to Stone was navigable — the length past Burton-on-Trent being completed in 1770.
On completion of the Star Lock a grand opening was held, during this opening a cannon was fired in celebration. However disaster struck and the cannon damaged the new lock, requiring a re-build.
Stone became the Headquarters of the canal company with its office at Westbridge House, sited then below Star Lock on what is now Westbridge Park. The offices were moved later to Stoke-on-Trent.
Due to the quality of the local water beneath Stone two brewers were located here carrying on the tradition of beer making that the Augustinian monks started. Firstly, the most notable, John Joules who brewed beer from 1758, although the brewery closed on the 31st October 1974 having been taken over by Bass of Burton. The canal played a great part in the export of Beer. Joules once owned a pair of boats that delivered coal to the brewery and as late as the 1950s had the telephone number ‘Stone 1’. Joules draught beer stores and bottling plant remains an imposing building on the canal and can be clearly identified by the red cross logo of John Joules in the brickwork.
The second brewer was Bents (of Liverpool and Stone)located on what is now Mount Industrial Estate. This brewery was also taken over by Bass and closed on the 31st March 1968. Although the brewing Industry in Stone ceased following the closure of Joules and Bents following aggressive take over from the nearby Burton upon Trent
Brewers in the 1960s and 1970s, in recent years it has begun anew with the opening of the "Lymestone Brewery" in 2008. This family run micro brewery is based in part of the original Bents brewery.(www.lymestonebrewery.co.uk)
More recently a second microbrewery, trading under the name Joules, dropping the 'John' due to trademark reasons, has begun brewing in Shropshire. A pint of both Lymestone and Joules can be tasted at the Swan Inn.
The Star Public House was fully licensed in 1819 although the building predates the canal by some 200 years. The building has in its time been a butcher’s shop and slaughterhouse. Stabling for boat horses was available up to the 1950s and the business relied heavily on the canal for trade.
opened its main line from Stoke on Trent through Stone to Norton Bridge
on 3 April 1848; the following year a branch line from Stone to Colwich
began operating.
One industry that did flourish under the railway era was the shoe industry, at its height in 1851 there were 16 shoeworks. The industry however declined after Australia the main shoe market imposed an import tax on the industry.
For a period of time following the West Coast Mainline speed upgrade the town was no longer serviced by trains. Virgin Trains and Cross Country Trains operate express services between Manchester Piccadilly
and London
and southern England
via Birmingham New Street which pass through the town, but do not stop. During this period Stone station was serviced by a bus replacement operated by London Midland between Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford stations, where passengers could interchange with the express services.
After local campaigning to bring the station back into full service, in December 2008 an hourly semi-fast direct service commenced operated by London Midland, south to London Euston via Stafford and the Trent Valley line and north to Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent
(8 minutes).
Local bus services are operated by First PMT and Bakerbus
.
Christ Church stands on the north side of the town, where the population is still increasing. It was erected in 1839.
The canal still dominates the town. Many canal side sites have in recent times been taken over for modern day use including ‘The Moorings’ a development of apartments based on the old Stubbs warehouse and also apartments and housing surround the old Trent Hospital, once the Workhouse. Housing developments also border the canal. Commercial traffic has now been replaced by the leisure craft that pass through Stone each year. The Canal Cruising Company today operates from the historic site of the canal maintenance and boat building operations of the Trent and Mersey Canal Company. This restored docks complex with its workshops, by Yard Lock, continues to be used for the maintenance of pleasure craft and historic boats. In 2009, a new marina is due to be developed just south of the town, below Aston Lock with moorings for pleasure craft, a farm shop and a cafe.
State Education within Stone is based on the three tier school system. Starting with a range of first and Primary Schools, two middle schools (Walton Priory Middle and Christchurch Middle) and Alleyne's High School
. Independent education is served by the Catholic St Dominic's Priory School
founded with the convent of the same name in the 19th century by Mother Margaret Hallahan
when the school was originally known as "Blessed Imelda's Enpension School"
Yarnfield
Park Training and Conference Centre just outside the town is a major training centre for the UK telecommunications industry. It is owned by BT Group
and run by Accenture
.
The town is home to two football clubs, namely Stone Old Alleynians F.C. of the West Midlands Regional League and Stone Dominoes F.C.
of the North West Counties League. Both teams share a fully enclosed floodlit stadium at Yarnfield, named Springbank Park. Staffordshire County Cricket Club
play Minor Counties Championship matches at Lichfield Road, as do the towns cricket
club, Stone Cricket Club.
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...
, situated about seven miles north of Stafford
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
, and around seven miles south of the city of Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
. It is the second town, after Stafford itself, in the Borough of Stafford
Stafford (borough)
Stafford is a local government district with borough status in Staffordshire in England. It is named after and includes the town of Stafford. It also includes the smaller town of Stone and numerous villages....
, and has long been of importance from the point of view of communications. Stone gave its name to both an urban district council and a rural district council before becoming part of the borough in 1974. In 2001 it had a population of 14,555.
Early history
Stone was the capital of early MerciaMercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
, a powerful Anglian kingdom that later expanded over most of what is now the West Midlands. Christianity arrived via monks from Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne
Lindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
around the year 650, King Penda of Mercia having invited them in. The capital was later moved to Stafford, and then to Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
.
Later History
The Common Plot (aka Mudley Pits) is a large area of open and wooded common land sited just to the north of the town of Stone. Duke of Westmorland built extensive winter fortifications and a camp here, the traces of which can still be seen, during the Winter of 1745/50. The purpose of the camp was to bring the Duke's army down from the freezing Staffordshire MoorlandsStaffordshire Moorlands
Staffordshire Moorlands is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. Its council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, is based in Leek and is located between the city of Stoke-on-Trent and the Peak District National Park. The 2001 census recorded the population as...
and Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
, where they had been seeking to stop a clandestine advance on London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
by a force of 6,000 Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
rebels thought to be using the old pack-horse routes over the high country in order to reach Derby. Stone was also strategic in preventing any break-away Jacobite group going across to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
to recruit more men there, which it became after the Jacobites took Derby. But with winter coming on, the Jacobites decided to retreat back to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
- and so there was no confrontation in England.
Etymology
The place-name's meaning is exactly what is stated, a "stone, rockRock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
", from the Old English
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
stān (stone).
The local story is that the town was named after the pile of stones taken from the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
raised on the graves of the two princes, Ruffin and Wulfad, killed in AD 665 by their father, King Wulfhere of Mercia
Wulfhere of Mercia
Wulfhere was King of Mercia from the end of the 650s until 675. He was the first Christian king of all of Mercia, though it is not known when or how he converted from Anglo-Saxon paganism. His accession marked the end of Oswiu of Northumbria's overlordship of southern England, and Wulfhere...
, because of their conversion to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
.
The Church, built over these stones in 670 lasted until the 9th century before being destroyed by invading Danes
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...
. It was replaced in 1135 by the Augustinian Stone Priory
Stone Priory
Stone Priory was a priory at Stone in Staffordshire, England, built circa 670AD.The priory's church was dedicated to Mary and a local seventh century martyr Saint Wulfad....
, which survived until its dissolution
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in the reign of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. The building collapsed in 1749 and the present church of St. Michael's was built in 1758. All that remains of the original priory is the rib-vaulted
Rib vault
The intersection of two or three barrel vaults produces a rib vault or ribbed vault when they are edged with an armature of piped masonry often carved in decorative patterns; compare groin vault, an older form of vault construction...
undercroft which forms the foundations beneath Priory House, which is located on Lichfield Street opposite the Frank Jordan Community Centre.
Population
| 1801 | 2,843 |
|---|---|
| 1831 | 7,808 |
| 1841 | 8,349 |
| 1991 | 12,646 |
| 2001 | 14,258 |
Local government
Stone lay within the hundred of Staffordshire named after nearby Pirehill.In 1251, Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
granted Stone a market
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
.
Stone Urban District was an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
. It was based on the Stone civil parish which equates to the town of Stone. There were two amendments in parts of the Stone Rural parish in Stone Rural District
Stone Rural District
Stone Rural District was a rural district in Staffordshire, England. It was created in 1894 and abolished by virtue of the Local Government Act 1972 in 1974. It was originally formed of the civil parishs of Barlaston, Chebsey, Cold Norton, Eccleshall, Milwich, Sandon, Standon, Stone Rural,...
were transferred in. The district was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
.
The replacement Stone Town Council forms part of Stafford Borough Council.
Roads
Stone stands in the valley of the River TrentRiver Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
, and was an important stopping-off point for stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
es on one of the roads turnpiked in the 18th century. A directory for 1851 says that Stone was a very lively town, and a great thoroughfare for coaches, carriers and travellers…. No fewer than 38 stage coaches passed through the town daily. The main coaching route was the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
route, via 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...
as far as Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
and then from Lichfield to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
via the A51
A51 road
The A51 is a road in England running from Kingsbury in Warwickshire to Chester. The road follows the following route:*Kingsbury*Tamworth*Lichfield*Rugeley *Little Haywood*Great Haywood*Weston*Sandon...
.
To support the coaching trade Stone was a principle stopping point with many coaching inn
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
s to refresh both horses and travellers. Notable hostelries include the Crown Hotel, Crown & Anchor, Red Lion and the Black Horse Inn.
Nowadays there are two trunk roads, the A34 linking Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
and the A51
A51 road
The A51 is a road in England running from Kingsbury in Warwickshire to Chester. The road follows the following route:*Kingsbury*Tamworth*Lichfield*Rugeley *Little Haywood*Great Haywood*Weston*Sandon...
linking Lichfield to Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. Stone is by-passed by the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
.
The Trent and Mersey Canal
The River Trent, which runs through the town, had been used for cargo-carrying vessels since RomanRoman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
times but further inland smaller boats could only be used. Seasonal fluctuations in water depth proved insurmountable, although cargo could be carried from the sea as far south as Wilden Ferry (southeast of 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...
), where the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
joins the Trent and increases the quantity of water, then onwards by road. Prior to tarmac
Tarmac
Tarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
roads, journeys overland by roads were slow and delicate wares were prone to breakages over the rough terrain.
James Brindley
James Brindley
James Brindley was an English engineer. He was born in Tunstead, Derbyshire, and lived much of his life in Leek, Staffordshire, becoming one of the most notable engineers of the 18th century.-Early life:...
, the canal builder, put forward the scheme to build what he called the Grand Trunk Canal to connect the two rivers, Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
and Trent in 1766. It was backed by Josiah Wedgwood
Josiah Wedgwood
Josiah Wedgwood was an English potter, founder of the Wedgwood company, credited with the industrialization of the manufacture of pottery. A prominent abolitionist, Wedgwood is remembered for his "Am I Not A Man And A Brother?" anti-slavery medallion. He was a member of the Darwin–Wedgwood family...
who saw that it offered an efficient way to bring raw materials to the potteries and to transport finished wares to his customers.
By 29 September 1772 (Brindley died on 27 September), 48 miles of the Grand Trunk Canal (now known as the Trent and Mersey Canal
Trent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal is a in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and North West of England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities—east of Burton upon Trent and west of Middlewich—it is a wide canal....
) from Wilden Ferry to Stone was navigable — the length past Burton-on-Trent being completed in 1770.
On completion of the Star Lock a grand opening was held, during this opening a cannon was fired in celebration. However disaster struck and the cannon damaged the new lock, requiring a re-build.
Stone became the Headquarters of the canal company with its office at Westbridge House, sited then below Star Lock on what is now Westbridge Park. The offices were moved later to Stoke-on-Trent.
Due to the quality of the local water beneath Stone two brewers were located here carrying on the tradition of beer making that the Augustinian monks started. Firstly, the most notable, John Joules who brewed beer from 1758, although the brewery closed on the 31st October 1974 having been taken over by Bass of Burton. The canal played a great part in the export of Beer. Joules once owned a pair of boats that delivered coal to the brewery and as late as the 1950s had the telephone number ‘Stone 1’. Joules draught beer stores and bottling plant remains an imposing building on the canal and can be clearly identified by the red cross logo of John Joules in the brickwork.
The second brewer was Bents (of Liverpool and Stone)located on what is now Mount Industrial Estate. This brewery was also taken over by Bass and closed on the 31st March 1968. Although the brewing Industry in Stone ceased following the closure of Joules and Bents following aggressive take over from the nearby Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
Brewers in the 1960s and 1970s, in recent years it has begun anew with the opening of the "Lymestone Brewery" in 2008. This family run micro brewery is based in part of the original Bents brewery.(www.lymestonebrewery.co.uk)
More recently a second microbrewery, trading under the name Joules, dropping the 'John' due to trademark reasons, has begun brewing in Shropshire. A pint of both Lymestone and Joules can be tasted at the Swan Inn.
The Star Public House was fully licensed in 1819 although the building predates the canal by some 200 years. The building has in its time been a butcher’s shop and slaughterhouse. Stabling for boat horses was available up to the 1950s and the business relied heavily on the canal for trade.
Public transport
The coming of the railway was to end Stone’s era as a coaching and canal town. The North Staffordshire RailwayNorth 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....
opened its main line from Stoke on Trent through Stone to Norton Bridge
Norton Bridge
Norton Bridge is a village in Staffordshire, England. Until 2004 it was served by Norton Bridge railway station.Arguably Norton Bridge is a hamlet as it is in the Parish of Chebsey and does not have its own church.Local amenities...
on 3 April 1848; the following year a branch line from Stone to Colwich
Colwich, Staffordshire
Colwich is a civil parish and village in Staffordshire, England. It is situated off the A51 road, about 3 miles north west of Rugeley, and 7 miles south east of Stafford...
began operating.
One industry that did flourish under the railway era was the shoe industry, at its height in 1851 there were 16 shoeworks. The industry however declined after Australia the main shoe market imposed an import tax on the industry.
For a period of time following the West Coast Mainline speed upgrade the town was no longer serviced by trains. Virgin Trains and Cross Country Trains operate express services between Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Piccadilly station
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. It serves intercity routes to London Euston, Birmingham New Street, South Wales, the south coast of England, Edinburgh and Glasgow Central, and routes throughout northern England...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and southern 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...
via Birmingham New Street which pass through the town, but do not stop. During this period Stone station was serviced by a bus replacement operated by London Midland between Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford stations, where passengers could interchange with the express services.
After local campaigning to bring the station back into full service, in December 2008 an hourly semi-fast direct service commenced operated by London Midland, south to London Euston via Stafford and the Trent Valley line and north to Crewe via Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
(8 minutes).
Local bus services are operated by First PMT and Bakerbus
BakerBus
BakerBus is the trading name used by the bus fleet of Bakers Coaches, a bus and coach operator based in Biddulph, Staffordshire, England. They operate a fleet of around 50 vehicles on local bus services and coach hire work.-History:...
.
Present day
Stone parish church, dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel, is at the south end of the town located on what used to be Stone Priory. It was commenced in 1753, and finished in 1758. The present clock tower was added later in 1896.Christ Church stands on the north side of the town, where the population is still increasing. It was erected in 1839.
The canal still dominates the town. Many canal side sites have in recent times been taken over for modern day use including ‘The Moorings’ a development of apartments based on the old Stubbs warehouse and also apartments and housing surround the old Trent Hospital, once the Workhouse. Housing developments also border the canal. Commercial traffic has now been replaced by the leisure craft that pass through Stone each year. The Canal Cruising Company today operates from the historic site of the canal maintenance and boat building operations of the Trent and Mersey Canal Company. This restored docks complex with its workshops, by Yard Lock, continues to be used for the maintenance of pleasure craft and historic boats. In 2009, a new marina is due to be developed just south of the town, below Aston Lock with moorings for pleasure craft, a farm shop and a cafe.
State Education within Stone is based on the three tier school system. Starting with a range of first and Primary Schools, two middle schools (Walton Priory Middle and Christchurch Middle) and Alleyne's High School
Alleyne's High School
Alleyne's High School is a co-educational community comprehensive school in Stone, Staffordshire, and one of three schools founded in 1558 by the Reverend Thomas Alleyne.-History:...
. Independent education is served by the Catholic St Dominic's Priory School
St Dominic's Priory School (Stone)
St Dominic's Priory School is an independent Catholic School in the town of Stone, Staffordshire. Stone, itself, is an attractive, thriving market town with an expanding population of 12,500, halfway between Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford. The school buildings are set within the pleasant grounds of St...
founded with the convent of the same name in the 19th century by Mother Margaret Hallahan
Margaret Hallahan
Margaret Hallahan was an English Catholic nun, foundress of the Dominican Congregation of St. Catherine of Siena ;-Life:...
when the school was originally known as "Blessed Imelda's Enpension School"
Yarnfield
Yarnfield
Yarnfield is a village in Staffordshire, England. It is considered part of historic Stone, and is near to other historic locations such as Eccleshall and Swynnerton.It is the site of a very large training and conference centre managed by BT...
Park Training and Conference Centre just outside the town is a major training centre for the UK telecommunications industry. It is owned by BT Group
BT Group
BT Group plc is a global telecommunications services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the largest telecommunications services companies in the world and has operations in more than 170 countries. Through its BT Global Services division it is a major supplier of...
and run by Accenture
Accenture
Accenture plc is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company headquartered in Dublin, Republic of Ireland. It is the largest consulting firm in the world and is a Fortune Global 500 company. As of September 2011, the company had more than 236,000 employees across...
.
The town is home to two football clubs, namely Stone Old Alleynians F.C. of the West Midlands Regional League and Stone Dominoes F.C.
Stone Dominoes F.C.
Stone Dominoes F.C. are a football club based in Stone, Staffordshire.-History:The club was established in 1987 and joined the Midland League Division Two in 1995. They reached the 5th round of the FA Vase in 2003–04 season. They are currently members of the North West Counties Football League...
of the North West Counties League. Both teams share a fully enclosed floodlit stadium at Yarnfield, named Springbank Park. Staffordshire County Cricket Club
Staffordshire County Cricket Club
Staffordshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Staffordshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
play Minor Counties Championship matches at Lichfield Road, as do the towns cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
club, Stone Cricket Club.
Personalities
- John Jervis, 1st Earl of St VincentJohn Jervis, 1st Earl of St VincentAdmiral of the Fleet John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent GCB, PC was an admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom...
, colleague of Lord Nelson, Victor in a battle against the Spanish at Cape St Vincent 1797. - Peter de WintPeter De WintPeter De Wint was an English landscape painter.De Wint was the son of an English physician of Dutch extraction who had come to England from New York., he was born in Stone, Staffordshire. He moved to London in 1802, and was apprenticed to John Raphael Smith, the mezzotint engraver and portrait...
Born 1784, Landscape Painter featured in the National Gallery. - Stan CollymoreStan CollymoreStanley Victor "Stan" Collymore is an English football pundit and former footballer, who played from 1990 until 2001. He held the British transfer record when he moved from Nottingham Forest to Liverpool for £8.5 million in 1995 and was capped three times at senior level by the England...
, Born in Stone in 1971 - James BrindleyJames BrindleyJames Brindley was an English engineer. He was born in Tunstead, Derbyshire, and lived much of his life in Leek, Staffordshire, becoming one of the most notable engineers of the 18th century.-Early life:...
, the Surveyor-General of the Trent & Mersey Canal. - L. T. C. RoltL. T. C. RoltLionel Thomas Caswall Rolt was a prolific English writer and the biographer of major civil engineering figures including Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Thomas Telford...
, author of ‘Narrowboat’ which helped to promote the canal network of today, plus several engineering biographies and other works. - Cedric PriceCedric PriceCedric Price was an English architect and influential teacher and writer on architecture.The son of an architect, Price was born in Stone, Staffordshire and studied architecture at Cambridge University Cedric Price (11 September 1934 – 10 August 2003) was an English architect and influential...
, architectArchitectAn architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, was born in Stone in 1934. - Eva MorrisEva MorrisEva Morris née Sharpe was the oldest recognised person in the world, by the Guinness Book of Records, from December 1999 until November 2000...
, the oldestSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
person in the world from December 1999 to her death in November 2000, lived in Stone. - Chris BirchallChris BirchallChristopher "Chris" Birchall CM is an English-born Trinidadian footballer who currently plays in midfield for Major League Soccer side Los Angeles Galaxy....
, a footballFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player who plays for L.A. Galaxy Birchall was born in 1984 and plays international football for Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago national football teamThe Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
, as his mother was born there. - Jackie Degg, former model and page 3 girl born in Stone 1978
External links
- Stone Staffordshire Community Forum Website
- Heart of Stone — Stone Community Website
- Stone Staffordshire — Community Website
- Keep Stone Tidy Campaign
- 1851 description of Stone parish
- Christ Church website
- The Trent & Mersey Canal
- Stone Post Office
- The Stone and Eccleshall Gazette - Free local news
- St Dominic's Priory School
- St John's Methodist / United-Reformed Church website
- (Cruisestone.co.uk) Stones Modified Car Community Website
- Alleyne's High School
- A Little Bit of Stone - news and events from this great town