Index of Historic 'walks' 
around Stoke-on-Trent

 

Every town, village, city has a story to tell but we rush around not noticing the buildings and history all around us. These virtual 'walks' are designed to be an introduction to the North Staffordshire Potteries.
Some consist of a map of the walk together with a set of photographs of the walk and often associated resources. Some have more in-depth background material as an introduction to the area.

Enjoy the walks - you may not be able to join us for a well deserved pint at the end of the virtual walk - but at least it won't be raining!

| Tunstall | Burslem, Cobridge & Middleport | Hanley, Shelton, Etruria |

| Stoke | Fenton, Lane Delph | Longton, Meir, Foley |

| Kidsgrove, Goldenhill, Harecastle |

| Waterways | Other Areas | Newcastle area |

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The Lane from Meir to Tunstall A series of 23 'walks' .... take a weekly walk with Fred Hughes and Steve Birks along the roads of Stoke-on-Trent from Meir in the south to Tunstall in the North as they follow the route of "the lane" on the 1775 map by William Yates.

some of the lost & forgotten roads of Stoke-on-Trent A series of 'walks' .... take a weekly walk with Fred Hughes and Steve Birks along some of the old and lost roads of the Potteries conurbation.

 

Tunstall area: Tunstall: In this township abounds coal, ironstone, marl and fine channel coal; and the manufactories of earthenware are very extensive here. Brownhills: "Brownhills is situate upon the main Turnpike Road (from Burslem to Lawton,) at the junction of the Branch which comes from Newcastle through Longport; and is at nearly equal distances from the market-places of Tunstall and Burslem; which are rather more than a mile apart. It is within the township of Burslem, which extends, north-westward, as far as an inn called High gate, close up to the town of Tunstall." Brownhills & Dr. Oliver: The young surgeon, Dr Thomas Oliver, cut a pathetic figure as he was led to the gallows at Stafford Gaol in 1797 for shooting dead John Wood of Brownhills.  Ladywell, Tunstall:  'a town of courts, wells and windmills' The road to Tunstall from Brownhills leads through St Mary’s and Ladywell areas of Tunstall, the most northern of the Six Towns.  Adams and Greengates, Tunstall:  “One family from Tunstall goes back to 1299,” the early Adams’s owned quite a bit of land in Tunstall and had rich relations in adjacent counties. Paradise Street in detail "A Building Society, begun in 1816, and of which many of the working Potters were members, gave rise to forty small houses, and the formation of two new streets, called Paradise Street, and Piccadilly, extending from the market-place westwardly."  A walk around Tunstall Cemetery Tunstall cemetery was laid out on part of Tunstall Farm in 1868. The Sneyd family were the owners of about 1,250 acres of land in the manor of Tunstall in the 18th century. This included Holly Wall Farm by Holly Wall Lane and Tunstall Farm at Clay Hills north west of Tunstall. Old Roads 'walks' around Tunstall:- | Paradise Street | Tunstall Cemetery A walk along the Potteries Loop Line :- Tunstall on the loop line Tunstall & Pinnox in depth On the loop line between Pitts Hill and Burslem was the station at Tunstall and two junctions - the Newfield Junction and the busy Pinnox Junction.

 

Burslem, Cobridge, Middleport area: Burslem: The Wedgwood Family and Enoch Wood. The changes in the town from George I to accession of Queen Victoria (1714-1837). Packhorse Lane Burslem - 'Packhorse Lane - the lifeline of the Potteries' Packhorse & Tunrpikes The eighteenth century saw the development of the North Staffordshire pottery industry from a cottage industry to a major exporting industry. The connection was the packhorse road from the Fountain Place works of Enoch Wood in Burslem, though Longbridge (now Longport) and onto to Newcastle. Longport: John Davenport & Longport. The creation of Longport (by the Trent & Mersey canal) between 1760-mid 19thC. Middleport: Burgess & Leigh - the 'Model' Victorian Potworks. A tour of a working Victorian potworks - opened in 1888, famous world over for Burleigh ware. A listed building and rescued from the receiver in 1999. Trubshaw 'Major gateway provides a glimpse into cities past' Trubshaw Cross in detail Trubshaw Cross is the upper part of Longport, situated on the junction of Newcastle Street and Davenport Road - it was an important point on the packhorse lanes from Newcastle-under-Lyme to Burslem and Tunstall. Cobridge: A Victorian Suburb Rushton Grange, the development of Cobridge as a community, the churches and potworks - also the home of the novelist Arnold Bennett. Cobridge 'the changing face of Cobridge' Cobridge 'the Victorian suburb en-route to Burslem' Cobridge in detail The Road from Hanley to Burslem Bournes Bank in detail Bournes Bank was originally named 'Church Street' as it was the main route from Burslem to the parish church of St. John. Waterloo Road was not built until 1817 and originally Bournes Bank was also the road travelled to get to Hanley.  Dalehall in detail Dalehall - a district of Burslem, arranged either side of Newcastle Street. Nowadays Dalehall, although preceding it in antiquity has been subsumed into the general area known as Middleport. The Burslem family were living at Burslem by the end of the 13th century. By the end of the 16th century their Burslem house was Dale Hall. Hulton Abbey to Ruston Grange This walk examines Hulton Abbey, the trackway along Sneyd Street and the monks farmland at Ruston Grange. A walk around Burslem Cemetery Burslem Cemetery opened in 1879 and covers approximately 11.4 hectares (about 28 acres) when it was opened it was intended to be a "a recreation park, to be used for walking, riding and driving" as well as a cemetery and at least a third of the land was taken up with the lodges, chapel, walks & drives. Only about five and a half acres was laid out for burials.    Old Roads 'walks' around Burslem area:- | Bournes Bank | Dale Hall | | Burslem Cemetery | A walk along the Potteries Loop Line :- Burslem on the loop line Burslem in depth On the loop line between Tunstall and Hanley were the stations at Burslem and Cobridge. Both of these stations were alongside or in the respective parks. On Thursday, July 21st, 1870, the ceremony of the cutting of the first sod took place in a very unostentatious manner at Burslem. Cobridge in depth In Bennett's novel Cobridge was referred to as "Bleakridge" The introduction of steam trams and then in 1873 the opening of the Loop Line with a station at Cobridge made the area accessible and it became a desirable residential area "It had also been predicted that even Hanbridge [Hanley] men would come to live at Bleakridge [Cobridge] now."

 

Hanley, Shelton, Etruria area: Etruria: Josiah Wedgwood & Etruria. Creation of Etruria in the 18thC. and subsequent transformation of the area in 19thC. Etruria: Last day of Shelton Steel Works A walk along the Trent & Mersey Canal on the 27th April 2000. In its heyday the works stretched across Etruria Valley to what is now Festival Park in Hanley. It had a 10,000-strong workforce, five coal mines, steelworks and rolling mills, blast furnaces and a bi-products factory. John Ridgway & Shelton. Walk around the Howard and Cauldon Place area of Shelton in the 1850-1890 period. The Ridgway pottery family and the development of the streets and houses. A photo walk across Stoke Fields to Winton's Wood - the parish of St. Simon and St. Jude (Hanley), the area around Staffordshire University. Winton's Wood and Poxon's field. Stoke Road, Howard Place & Snow Hill 'This road well travelled deserves a second look' Hanley Green 'Hanley Lower Green - a collision of roads' Hanley in detail In the late seventeenth century, Hanley consisted of two small hamlets known as Hanley Upper Green (or just Upper Green) and Hanley Lower Green (or just Lower Green). Upper Green at the junction of Town Road and Keelings Road and Lower Green where Market Square is today. Etruria 'a factory in a garden' Etruria in detail "This name merits individual entry because of its unusual, and possibly unique, origins. Etruria is a comparatively modern name, under 250 years old. Josiah Wedgwood's house, built here in 1760, was named Etruria Hall, taken from an ancient region of Italy, roughly modern Tuscany.." Old Town Road in detail High Street, Hanley ran from Market Square, past St. John's Church, to Providence Square at what was Upper Hanley at the top end of Northwood Road. In the early 1950's High Street was renamed Town Road (this was because there were about 12 "High Streets" in the Potteries). Pall Mall in detail As early as 1818 Pall Mall existed as New Street, Shelton. Although now a desolated street at one time it was a busy place with a large number of public buildings.......The Free Library, the North Staffs. Technical and Art Museum, the Government School of Art, the Potteries Mechanics’ Institution, and the Theatre Royal were all situated in Pall Mall. A walk around Hanley Cemetery "Having secured a site (in 1858), the Council offered premiums for the two best designs for chapels, and for laying out the grounds. No less than sixty-five architects, residing in various parts of the country competed, and several designs for the arrangement of the grounds were also sent in." A walk around Etruria Park "With the disappearance of the Etruria Grove and, later, the final decay of all vegetation in Etruria, it was decided to open a park there! On Thursday, September 29th, 1904, the opening ceremony was performed and the Etruscans at last had their own park.." A walk around Northwood Park "The opening of Northwood Park by the Mayor of Hanley, Alderman T. Hampton, took place on May 23rd, 1907, after a procession from Hanley Town Hall. Although the park was then incomplete the opening was put forward to take place on the day celebrating the jubilee of the Incorporation of the Borough of Hanley." Old Roads 'walks' around Hanley:- | Old Town Road | Pall Mall | Etruria Road (Fowlea Bank) | | Hanley Cemetery | Etruria Park | Northwood Park |

 

Stoke Area: Penkhull: Josiah Spode & the Mount Estate. A look at The Mount - home and estate created by Josiah Spode II (1754-1827), master potter, of Stoke and also to examine the relationship between the estate and the village of Penkhull. Colin Minton Campbell & Hartshill Cemetery. The Municipal cemetery reflects Victorian society class divisions. The cemetery is divided into 4 classes for different denominations. Winton Square 'The best face of the Potteries' Winton Fields area in detail Winton's Field and Winton's Wood were part of the Glebe lands of the Stoke Church. Nowadays the area is home to Staffordshire University buildings, Federation House, Stoke Railway Station and the North Stafford Hotel. Winton Square has 8 listed buildings and is a Stoke-on-Trent conservation area Stoke Road, Howard Place & Snow Hill 'This road well travelled deserves a second look' Old Roads 'walks' around Stoke area:- Newcastle-under-Lyme canal

 

Fenton, Lane Delph Area: A circular walk around Fenton Exploring the buildings, potworks, coal mines and the Baker family who built and shaped much of Fenton Land Delph Lane Delph is at the end of King Street, Fenton. Over the years, many intercepting roads have so obscured the old Roman Road that it can now only be followed with difficulty. Lane Delph in detail The name "Delph" means a digging, such as a claypit or quarry. 'Drowned in a delph' appears as a cause of death in Staffordshire parish registers. Lane Delph was one of the earliest populated areas in Fenton and home to a number of early pottery works and families Lower Lane 'Majestic church symbol of towering aspirations' Lower Lane in detail Lower Lane lay on the boundary of Little and Great Fenton It covers the area at the junction of the road now known as City Road (previously High Street West and east) and a track which is the current Glebedale Road.  Grove Road in detail Early potters walked the track from Lower Lane to Lane Delph: It is not at all fanciful to speculate that a number of famous and early potters journeyed along the track which is today known as Whieldons Road, Grove Road and Duke Street. A walk around Fenton Park One of the later of the City parks - Fenton park was opened in 1924 on the site of Broadfield Colliery at Fenton Low, it was extended in 1957. Old Roads 'walks' around Fenton area:- | Grove Road, Heron Cross | Fenton Park |

 

Longton, Meir, Foley Area: Dresden & the Longton Freehold Land Society A walk round the Dresden Estate showing how it came into existence in the middle of the 19th C and the development during the Victorian period. Adderley Green Adderley Green was a manorial estate with a large mansion surrounded by open fields and a series of opencast mines dotted here and there. But later maps show how the district rapidly changed with the arrival of industry. Lane End "Ask most people to tell you the difference between Longton and Lane End and they will say Lane End is just another name for Longton. And yet nothing could be further from the truth." Lane End in detail Confusion often arises over the location and names of  Lane End and Longton. Originally they were two separate and contiguous townships which were incorporated in the of Borough of Longton in 1865.  Meir 'the changing face of Meir and a pub with treasures aplenty' Meir in detail The village of Meir has always been a gateway in to North Staffordshire and the Potteries area..... in Roman times it was situated on the Roman road Rykeneld Street which ran from Derby/Uttoxeter, through Meir to Chesterton and then onto Chester. Normacot There were hundreds of coalmines, a Roman route, an important centre of the Christian faith; nowadays it is Longton's centre of Islamic worship. Where do you begin to tell the story of such a multi-faceted location? Normacot in detail Normacot has been a site of habitation and activity for around 3 to 4,000 years. It was recorded in the 1087 Domesday Book as part of the "Land of Richard Forester"  Foley the area known as The Foley was centred on King Street, on the outskirts of Longton, and by 1830 it was noted for several important potteries and some posh houses. But how did it get its name, and why doesn't anyone call it Foley any more? Foley in detail Foley Place is near the east end of King Street and was probably built in the 1830's or 1840's and is an example of middle-class housing. About 1750 John Barker, one of Thomas Whieldon's ovenmen in 1749, began to make shining black ware and salt-glazed stone-ware at the Row Houses near the Foley. Dresden Bridle Path in detail When Longton Freehold Land society bought their land a bridle path leading from Longton to Trentham ran across the land. Following this bridle path will take us on a walk through the history of British social reform politics... Normacot Road in detail Normacot Road was once an important thoroughfare from Normacot to Longton Town, it was lined with many potworks and terrace houses. Many of the houses and works were demolished between the 1930's and the 1970's and the opening of the A50 road in 1997 meant that the end of Normacot Road was sealed off - so now it is a road to nowhere. A walk around Longton cemetery Following a competition in 1872 for the design of the lay-out, Longton Cemetery opened in 1877 and covers approximately 7.4 hectares (about 21 acres).  It has been extended a total of  four times. Old Roads 'walks' around Longton area:- Dresden: Ricardo Street | Bridle Path Normacot:  Normacot Road Longton Cemetery

 

Other Areas: Job Meigh & Ash Hall A walk around the Ash Estate in Werrington. Reviewing the development of the estate by Job Meigh II from 1837 to 1862 The bridle path Ash Hall the Bridle Path was the route of coal carts from Hanley Hayes Colliery to the Hanley-Cheadle Turnpike Road. Basford Bank in detail In the Etruria valley runs the Fowlea Brook, the turnpike road (now Etruria Road) to the left climbs a ridge, rising 500ft to Basford. Basford Bank as we know it now was not built until 1820, prior to that the turnpike road ran along a steep route "Fowlea Bank" which still exists today behind the houses fronting Basford Bank. Hulton Abbey to Ruston Grange This walk examines Hulton Abbey, the trackway along Sneyd Street and the monks farmland at Ruston Grange. Old Roads 'walks' :- Werrington:  Ash Hall Estate Basford:  Etruria Road (Fowlea Bank) Bentilee: Ford Hayes Farm The monks of Hulton Abbey   A walk along the Potteries Loop Line :- Introduction to the loop line

 

Kidsgrove, Goldenhill, Harecastle: Boathorse Road, Harecastle, Goldenhill: The Harecastle tunnel - an essential part of the transport system to take raw materials and finished ware to and from the Potteries. James Brindley:  'bad planning or pioneer of transport engineering?' the historic boatman's walk to Kidsgrove:  “The old legging tunnel was a three hours journey giving the boatmen plenty of time to meet their boat while they walked their horses over the top,” Kidsgrove:  'getting into the spirit of a truly historic town' They reckon that Kidsgrove is full of ghosts. Never mind the canal boggart Kit Crewbucket, just listen to the good burghers and you’ll realise what an assembly of apparitions this place is. A walk along the Potteries Loop Line :- Kidsgrove on the loop line Goldenhill on the loop line Pitts Hill on the loop line Kidsgrove in depth There were two stations on the now closed Loop Line namely Kidsgrove, opened November 15, 1875 and Kidsgrove Market Street Halt opened 1905. Birchenwood in depth Birchenwood was the largest industrial site that the Tunstall and Newchapel area has ever known. Goldenhill and Pitts Hill in depth The loop line Tunstall to Goldenhill opened to both passengers and goods on the 1st of October 1874 and the section from Goldenhill to Kidsgrove over a year later on the 15th of November 1875.

 

Newcastle area: Dimsdale 'Mystery of Roman Road is just par-for-the-course' Bradwell 'Sneyds never knew how valuable their land was' Bradwell in detail "There is a much-admired hanging wood, called Bradwall Wood, belonging to Walter Sneyd, Esq." A walk around the Queen's Gardens and Marsh Estate The borough owned the waste land known as The Marsh .......The Marsh, consisting in 1782 of 23 acres, was situated at the east end of the town in the area now occupied by Nelson Place, Queen Street, King Street, and Brunswick Street. Old Roads 'walks' around Newcastle area:- Newcastle Junction canal Newcastle upper canal (Sir Nigel Gresley's) Queen's Gardens

 

Waterways: The Newcastle-under-Lyme Canal Strange though it may seem today there was once a 4 mile long canal that ran from Newcastle to Stoke - this 'walk' has maps of the route and photos of clues which still exist today to show the route of the canal.  The Newcastle Junction Canal Designed to join the canal to Stoke and Apedale colliery Sir Nigel Gresley's Canal This is the canal to Apedale - follow the traces of the canal today   Old Roads 'walks' along the Newcastle canals :- Newcastle-under-Lyme canal Newcastle Junction canal Newcastle upper canal (Sir Nigel Gresley's)

 

questions/comments/contributions? email: Steve Birks

acknowledgements: The photographs are acknowledged, unacknowledged photos mainly by Steve Birks. Some of the walks and background resources were carried out by local historian and Keele University lecturer Mr. Andrew Dobraszczyc. Some walks follows routes suggested by Pauline & George Shufflebotham in their book 'Short Circular Historical Walks of the Six Towns' The walks from Meir to Tunstall and the Old Roads are based on the "write to Roam" articles by Fred Hughes.   >> when this is the case an acknowledgement is made on the index page for the walk.

updated: 16 Dec 2008