Pyenest Street in November 2006 before demolition

Pyenest Street in November 2006 before demolition

The Houses in the street have amazing architectural features adorning the frontage.
The Gothic style windows are adorned with an arch of bricks with a mosaic of Minton tiles.

Pyenest Street

"A corn mill known as the Borough Mills in Marsh Street below Holy Trinity Church was in use between at least the 1840's and the end of the century. The Ivy House Mill on the Bucknall side of the Trent, formerly a flint mill, was used as a corn mill by the 1870's. The Ridgway Flour Mills on the Trent and Mersey Canal off Shelton New Road were in operation from 1879 until at least 1924. In 1958 there were mills at Birches Head (Dicksons) and Shelton (Leese and Son, Pyenest Street, and Staffordshire Farmers)."

Victoria History of Staffordshire vol VIII

"In 1999, another 150 jobs were lost as Wedgwood announced a 35 per cent slump in operating costs and prepared to close the Coalport Minerva works at Park Street, Fenton, and the Wedgwood jewellery factory at Pyenest Street, Shelton, moving operations to Barlaston."

Sentinel Newspaper

"The Pyenest Street and Shelton New Road area is included in the RENEW Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Prospectus under the Hanley South Neighbourhood Action Plan.

The Pyenest Street site encompasses predominantly late Victorian terrace type houses to the north of the Caldon Canal. The area consists of terraced-type housing with solid brick walls and tiled roofs.

Option 1 – To promote repair to a minimum standard (rehabilitation to secure a short-term life).
Option 2 – To promote comprehensive renovation to provide good long-term housing.
Option 3 – Wholesale clearance and re-development of the area."

Renew housing master plan

It could be argued that some of the 'conventional' two up, two down terrace houses were candidates for demolition (although to preserve the character of the area it should not have been beyond the wit of a development plan to "promote comprehensive renovation to provide good long-term housing").

But to destroy the row of houses with the unique Gothic style windows was an act of vandalism.

Pyenest Street in May 2008
"The horrendously treated Pyenest Street, Shelton"

Pyenest Street houses (before demolition) and the Caldon canal behind

Pyenest Street, Shelton - its only sin was that it bordered the Caldon Canal