Wolstanton

infobox UK place
country = England
latitude= 53.0294
longitude= -2.2159
official_name= Wolstanton
shire_district= Newcastle-under-Lyme
shire_county=Staffordshire
region= West Midlands
constituency_westminster= Newcastle-under-Lyme
post_town= Newcastle, Staffs
postcode_district= ST5
postcode_area=ST
dial_code= 01782
os_grid_reference= SJ856480
population=

Wolstanton is a suburban area on the outskirts of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

History

Historically, Wolstanton was a place in its own right. It is mentioned in the Domesday book where it is listed amongst the lands belonging to the King"Domesday Book: A Complete Transliteration". London: Penguin, 2003. p. 672 ISBN 0-14-143994-7] . The land consisted of work for 2 ploughs, 14 villans, 2 bordars and a priest (who had his own plough). Woodland then was measured as being a league by a furlong. When tax had been paid (by Ælfgar before the conquest) then it was set at six pounds.

People and Places

A notable building in the village is located on the corner of High Street and Nelson Street. During World War II and for some years afterwards, it was owned by the renowned Carrs Café and was daily frequented by the owners of many Stoke-on-Trent potteries who resided in the village. Ownership then passed to the District Bank (incorporated into NatWest Bank) and subsequently Barclays Bank. When the Banks engaged on a programme of closing out-of-town branches, the building was acquired as the Head Offices of Castle Comfort Stairlifts, a specialist stairlift provider who now run their UK and Spanish operations there. Now known as "Bank House", a memorial plaque was unveiled there by Staffordshire Police in the summer of 2007 to commemorate the work of Henry Faulds, the fingerprint pioneer, who lived in the village and is buried at St Margaret's Church.

Recent Developments

Wolstanton colliery, originally an ore mine located just to the east of the village, was noted for having the deepest shafts in Europe. Closed in 1985 and demolished in 1987, a branch of ASDA and the Wolstanton retail park now covers the main part of the site, and the colliery's former sports field is now - after some not inconsiderable opposition - being redeveloped with housing. A new road (originally proposed in 1978) has been built connecting the A500 with the A527 through the village, following for the most part the old colliery approach road (Grange Lane). Paid for by the developers of the site, Bloor Homes, this road finally opened to the public on 24 January 2008.

Notable residents

* Dr Henry Faulds (1843-1930) was a pioneer of forensic fingerprinting who retired to Wolstanton.
* Arthur Berry (1925 - 1994): an English playwright, poet, teacher and artist
* Nathan Brittain (1991-present: Is a footballer who currently is a free agent after being released from Clayton Hall (school)

arah Smith

A remarkable grave is located in the churchyard of St Margaret's. The headstone of Sarah Smith (deceased 1783) includes a short poem written in the first person in which Sarah suggests that she was murdered; 'with half a pint of poyson he came to visit me' and then provides a clue to her killer, 'it was C___s B___w who brought me to my end'.

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References

External links

* [http://www.wolstanton.net/ A local community website for Wolstanton. a ward in Newcastle]