Ward records...... "The upper part of the village [of Longport] where the roads to Tunstall and Burslem diverge, was formerly called Trubshaw Cross, and an ancient stone cross stood there, of which the base or plinth yet remains, and is now placed at the foot of a handsome lamp-pillar, in a central position between the roads, still maintaining its former rude character. A little further North, where the road to Tunstall went through another rivulet, was a shorter foot-bridge, from which that spot was called Smallbridge......"

Ward "The Borough of Stoke-upon-Trent" 1843

"Longport is a manufacturing district within the parish of Burslem - the buildings being, for the most part, situate in a valley, on the banks of the Trent and Mersey canal, where are several wharfs. It was formerly called Trubshaw Cross, and also Longbridge; deriving its latter appellation from a number of stepping-stones, forming a causeway across the meadows, which were afterwards superseded by a bridge: but after the construction of the canal, the great improvement of the place in buildings, the establishment of manufactures, and the consequent increase of population, its name was changed to Longport. A Wesleyan Methodist chapel, and a Sunday school, were opened a few years since."

Pigot "Typology of England in 1841"

The Act of Parliament for making the present Turnpike Road, (passed in 1762), describes the road from Tunstall to Newcastle, as "going by Trubsharv Cross, and the Tan-House, (Wolstanton), down Sparks's Hollow, over a common field, called the Brampton, to Newcastle ; and another branch extending from Burslem to Trubshaw Cross, aforesaid".

The 1775 map of the area shows a few buildings at the junction of the lane from Burslem to Newcastle (through Wolstanton), the way to Tunstall (via Brownhills) is a mere track. Trubshaw Cross was at the junction of the packhorse lane, which was turnpiked, and the Trent and Mersey canal, fully opened in 1777.

It was at this important junction that, in c.1773 John Brindley (younger brother of the canal engineer James) erected the first pottery factory and in 1794 John Davenport has acquired it and commenced his business in producing leaded glass and pottery.