98-611: Barnfields (also Barnfield ) is an area in Leek , Staffordshire , England. This Staffordshire location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Leek, Staffordshire Leek is a market town and civil parish in Staffordshire , England, on the River Churnet 10 miles (16 km) north east of Stoke-on-Trent . It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214. It
196-525: A bandstand; a bowling green was opened in 1923, and swimming baths were opened in 1975. North of the park is Brough Park Fields Nature Reserve, about 2 hectares (5 acres) of open meadows and young woodland; there are walking trails, with views towards the Roaches . Birch Gardens, by Buxton Road at the junction with Prince Street, is a public garden in Leek. There are flower beds, grassed areas, pathways and
294-580: A century after his death, in 1161, Pope Alexander III canonised the king. Edward was one of England's national saints until King Edward III adopted Saint George (George of Lydda) as the national patron saint in about 1350. Saint Edward's feast day is 13 October and is celebrated by both the Church of England and the Catholic Church . Edward was the seventh son of Æthelred the Unready , and
392-557: A few Normans, who became unpopular. Chief among them was Robert, abbot of the Norman abbey of Jumièges, who had known Edward from the 1030s and came to England with him in 1041, becoming bishop of London in 1043. According to the Vita Edwardi , he became "always the most powerful confidential adviser to the king". In ecclesiastical appointments, Edward and his advisers showed a bias against candidates with local connections, and when
490-479: A gold medal for rowing in the 2012 Olympics . Footballer Arthur Hulme (1877–1916) was born in Leek. Former England test cricketer Kim Barnett was born and lives in Leek. Other notable residents include: Leek's " Double Sunset " on and around the summer solstice attracts many tourists. This event, first recorded by Robert Plot , occurs when the sun sets behind the Cloud , subsequently partially reappearing in
588-446: A man – of outstanding height, and distinguished by his milky white hair and beard, full face and rosy cheeks, thin white hands, and long translucent fingers; in all the rest of his body he was an unblemished royal person. Pleasant, but always dignified, he walked with eyes downcast, most graciously affable to one and all. If some cause aroused his temper, he seemed as terrible as a lion, but he never revealed his anger by railing." This, as
686-600: A martyr. In the 1230s, King Henry III became attached to the cult of Saint Edward, and he commissioned a new life, by Matthew Paris . Henry also constructed a grand new tomb for Edward in a rebuilt Westminster Abbey in 1269. Henry III also named his eldest son after Edward. Until about 1350, Edmund the Martyr , Gregory the Great , and Edward the Confessor were regarded as English national saints, but Edward III preferred
784-527: A mount of heather on top of which a moorcock is resting his claw on a small-weave shuttle. The motto Arte favente nil desperandum translates to: Our skill assisting us, we have no cause for despair. The town has had a regular cattle market for hundreds of years, reflecting its role as a centre of local farming . Following the Industrial Revolution it was a major producer of textiles , with silk working in particular coming to dominate
882-547: A quarter of a century in exile, probably mainly in Normandy, although there is no evidence of his location until the early 1030s. He probably received support from his sister Godgifu, who married Drogo of Mantes , count of Vexin in about 1024. In the early 1030s, Edward witnessed four charters in Normandy, signing two of them as king of England. According to William of Jumièges , the Norman chronicler, Robert I, Duke of Normandy attempted an invasion of England to place Edward on
980-516: A series of strokes which led to his death. He was too weak to attend the consecration of his new church at Westminster , which had been substantially completed in 1065, on 28 December. Edward probably entrusted the kingdom to Harold and Edith shortly before he died at Westminster on 5 January 1066. On 6 January he was buried in Westminster Abbey , and Harold was crowned on the same day. Starting as early as William of Malmesbury in
1078-427: A son as hostage, who were sent to Normandy. The Godwins' position disintegrated as their men were not willing to fight the king. When Stigand, who was acting as an intermediary, conveyed the king's jest that Godwin could have his peace if he could restore Alfred and his companions alive and well, Godwin and his sons fled, going to Flanders and Ireland. Edward repudiated Edith and sent her to a nunnery, perhaps because she
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#17327831684061176-454: A successful skirmish near Southampton , and then retreated back to Normandy. He thus showed his prudence, but he had some reputation as a soldier in Normandy and Scandinavia. In 1037, Harold was accepted as king, and the following year he expelled Emma, who retreated to Bruges . She then summoned Edward and demanded his help for Harthacnut, but he refused as he had no resources to launch an invasion, and disclaimed any interest for himself in
1274-518: A typical member of the rustic nobility". He appeared to have a slim prospect of acceding to the English throne during this period, and his ambitious mother was more interested in supporting Harthacnut, her son by Cnut. Cnut died in 1035, and Harthacnut succeeded him as king of Denmark . It is unclear whether he intended to keep England as well, but he was defending his position in Denmark and thus
1372-487: A variety of trees and shrubs. It was created by an arrangement in which Mr Birch, a local businessman, gave land to LUDC in return for drainage facilities being provided for his silk manufacturing business; the gardens were laid out by Birch, and LUDC agreed to maintain the gardens. They were opened in December 1935 by Councillor H. Morton, to mark the silver jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary . On 8 May 2018 there
1470-533: Is based on Macclesfield Road, where they have a club house and four grass pitches, although league matches are played on their own astroturf pitch at Leek High School as well as at Westwood College . The club competes in the Midlands Hockey League . Previous players have included Olympic gold medallist Imran Sherwani and England and GB international Scott Cordon. Leek Cricket Club is also based on Macclesfield Road. Leek Archery Club use
1568-607: Is being directed under the Reconnect Leek banner, and forms part of proposals to reopen the Stoke - Leek line, which survived as a goods-only line to serve the former sand quarry at Oakamoor . Local TV coverage is provided by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central . Television signals are received from the Sutton Coldfield and local relay transmitters. BBC North West and ITV Granada can also be received from
1666-464: Is regarded by most historians as an unlikely saint, and his canonisation as political, although some argue that his cult started so early that it must have had something credible to build on. Edward displayed a worldly attitude in his church appointments. When he appointed Robert of Jumièges as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1051, he chose the leading craftsman Spearhafoc to replace Robert as Bishop of London . Robert refused to consecrate him, saying that
1764-516: Is renowned for its large collection of birds. Also nearby is Coombes Valley RSPB reserve , an RSPB reserve since 1963, with walks and trails through a wooded valley. Deep Hayes Country Park , created around a former reservoir, is a short distance south-west on the A53 road. The town of Leek is served by First Potteries . There is a generally hourly service on route 18 to Hanley and 16 on an alternative route via Cellarhead. There are also bus services to
1862-472: Is still held dates from a grant of John to the earl of Chester: in the 17th century it was very considerable. A fair, also granted by John, beginning on the third day before the Translation of Edward the Confessor is still held. The silk manufacture which can be traced to the latter part of the 17th century is thought to have been aided by the settlement in Leek of some Huguenots after the revocation of
1960-592: Is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council. King John granted Ranulph de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester , the right to hold a weekly Wednesday market and an annual seven-day fair in Leek in 1207. Leek's coat of arms is a saltire shield. On the top is the Stafford knot , either side is the Leek double sunset and below a gold garb. The crest is a mural crown with three mulberry leaves on
2058-808: Is therefore sometimes referred to as the Gateway to the Peak District , although the town is more often referred to as the Queen of the Moorlands. Leek (Lee, Leike, Leeke) formed part of the great estates of Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia ; it escheated to William the Conqueror who held it at the time of the Domesday Survey . Later it passed to the earls Palatine of Chester , remaining in their hands until Ralph de Blundevill, earl of Chester, gave it to
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#17327831684062156-517: The Edict of Nantes . In the 17th and 18th centuries the town was famous for its ale . Prince Charles Edward Stuart passed through Leek on his march to Derby (1745) and again on his return journey to Scotland. A story in connexion with the Civil Wars is told to explain the expression "Now thus" occurring on the tombstone of a citizen, who by this meaningless answer to all questions sought escape on
2254-547: The Isle of Wight . There, Edward was received as king in return for his oath that he would continue the laws of Cnut. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , Edward was sworn in as king alongside Harthacnut, but a diploma issued by Harthacnut in 1042 describes him as the king's brother. Following Harthacnut's death on 8 June 1042, Godwin, the most powerful of the English earls, supported Edward, who succeeded to
2352-788: The North West Counties Football League Division One . They were founder members of the Staffordshire County League in 1984, and were league champions in 1996. Ball Haye Green FC founded in 1880 play in the Staffordshire County Senior League and most recently won the Staffordshire FA Vase in 2017. In 2016, Staffordshire Moorlands FC were set up in the town and began their first season in the league pyramid. Leek Hockey Club
2450-526: The Queen Anne style , in 1882. That this building is tucked away behind the 17th-century 'Greystones' is a further indication of Larner's regard for old buildings. Larner would not countenance demolition of the old building, and so, as the Nicholsons owned the land to the rear, that is where the institute was built. Larner cleverly incorporated the busts of Shakespeare, Newton, Reynolds and Tennyson into
2548-483: The University of Oxford and former Warden of Keble College grew up in Leek. Dave Hill, vocalist for English new wave of British heavy metal band Demon , lives in Leek and operates rides at Alton Towers. Jeff Janiak , American born vocalist of influential punk / metal band Discharge and former vocalist of Broken Bones resides in Leek. James Ford , English musical composer, record producer and musician in
2646-479: The Winter Hill TV transmitter. Local radio stations are BBC Radio Stoke , Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire , Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire and Moorlands Radio , a community based radio station which broadcast from the town. The Sentinel is the town's local newspaper. The town's first known football club was Leek F.C. It was formed in the late 1870s, and wound up in
2744-446: The abbey of Dieulacresse , which continued to hold it until its dissolution. The same earl in a charter which he gave to the town ( temp . John) calls it a borough and grants to his free burgesses various privileges, including freedom from toll throughout Cheshire. These privileges were confirmed by Richard, abbot of Dieulacresse, but the town received no royal charter and failed to establish its burghal position. The Wednesday market which
2842-497: The 11th century have the saintly reputation which he later enjoyed, largely through the efforts of the Westminster monks themselves". After 1066, there was a subdued cult of Edward as a saint, possibly discouraged by the early Norman abbots of Westminster, which gradually increased in the early 12th century. Osbert of Clare , the prior of Westminster Abbey, then started to campaign for Edward's canonisation, aiming to increase
2940-703: The 1890s. Leek has four football clubs. Leek Town F.C. , founded in 1946, are based at Harrison Park and play in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. They were founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 and in 1997 they were Northern Premier League champions and gained promotion to the Football Conference . Leek CSOB , founded in 1945, groundshare with Leek Town at Harrison Park and play in
3038-480: The Battle of Hastings, Harold sent William an envoy who admitted that Edward had promised the throne to William but argued that this was overridden by his deathbed promise to Harold. In reply, William did not dispute the deathbed promise but argued that Edward's prior promise to him took precedence. In Stephen Baxter 's view, Edward's "handling of the succession issue was dangerously indecisive, and contributed to one of
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3136-468: The Conqueror's grandfather, Duke Richard II , was the brother of Edward the Confessor's mother, Emma of Normandy , so the two men were first cousins once removed, and there was a blood tie between them. William may have visited Edward during Godwin's exile, and he is thought to have promised William the succession at this time, but historians disagree on how seriously he meant the promise, and whether he later changed his mind. Edmund Ironside's son, Edward
3234-524: The Exile , had the best claim to be considered Edward's heir. He had been taken as a young child to Hungary , and in 1054 Bishop Ealdred of Worcester visited the Holy Roman Emperor , Henry III to secure his return, probably with a view to becoming Edward's heir. The exile returned to England in 1057 with his family but died almost immediately. His son Edgar , who was then about six years old,
3332-519: The Godwin brothers controlled all of England subordinately apart from Mercia . It is not known whether Edward approved of this transformation or whether he had to accept it, but from this time he seems to have begun to withdraw from active politics, devoting himself to hunting, which he pursued each day after attending church. In the 1050s, Edward pursued an aggressive and generally successful policy in dealing with Scotland and Wales . Malcolm Canmore
3430-556: The Macclesfield Road site for outdoor shooting as well as a private indoor range in the town centre. Leek & District Gun Club previously hosted monthly Clay Pigeon shoots at Westwood Farm, west of Leek. The club closed on 26 December 2020. Leek RUFC bears the name of the town but is based in nearby Cheddleton . Edward the Confessor Edward the Confessor ( c. 1003 – 5 January 1066)
3528-660: The Northern section of the Churnet Valley Line to Macclesfield was closed in 1960; the Southern section to Uttoxeter closed in 1965. Leek railway station was completely demolished in 1973 and the site is now occupied by a Morrisons supermarket. The Churnet Valley line now operates as a heritage railway and is located to the south of the town; services run between Kingsley & Froghall and Ipstones . Another 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (2.4 km) section of
3626-463: The aim of adding it to his territory. In 1053, Edward ordered the assassination of the south Welsh prince Rhys ap Rhydderch in reprisal for a raid on England, and Rhys's head was delivered to him. In 1055, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn established himself as the ruler of Wales, and allied himself with Ælfgar of Mercia, who had been outlawed for treason. They defeated Earl Ralph at Hereford, and Harold had to collect forces from nearly all of England to drive
3724-482: The anniversary of his death, 5 January, the date he is inscribed in the Martyrologium Romanum . The Church of England 's calendar of saints designates 13 October as a Lesser Festival . Each October the abbey holds a week of festivities and prayer in his honour. Edward is also regarded as a patron saint of difficult marriages. The Vita Ædwardi Regis states "[H]e was a very proper figure of
3822-528: The band Simian Mobile Disco was born in Stoke-on-Trent and grew up in Leek "playing bass and singing in bands by the age of ten." Also, he has produced the Arctic Monkeys and Depeche Mode. Amongst sports people associated with the town, the best known person is former five-time world professional darts champion Eric Bristow who used to live in the town. Anna Watkins , born in Leek, won
3920-405: The brothers to join them in marching south. They met Harold at Northampton, and Tostig accused Harold before the king of conspiring with the rebels. Tostig seems to have been a favourite with the king and queen, who demanded that the revolt be suppressed, but neither Harold nor anyone else would fight to support Tostig. Edward was forced to submit to his banishment, and the humiliation may have caused
4018-546: The building representing 400 years of artistic and scientific achievement from the 16th to the 19th century and embracing literature, science, art and poetry. In 1899 came the Technical Schools and the Co-operative Society Hall. Although the original town centre cattle market was demolished and replaced with a bus station and shopping centre in the 1960s, the new cattle market was built on
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4116-575: The church. Edward the Confessor was the only king of England to be canonized by the pope, but he was part of a tradition of (uncanonised) Anglo-Saxon royal saints, such as Eadburh of Winchester , a daughter of Edward the Elder , Edith of Wilton , a daughter of Edgar the Peaceful , and the boy-king Edward the Martyr . With his proneness to fits of rage and his love of hunting, Edward the Confessor
4214-493: The clergy and monks of Canterbury elected a relative of Godwin as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1051, Edward rejected him and appointed Robert of Jumièges, who claimed that Godwin was in illegal possession of some archiepiscopal estates. In September 1051, Edward was visited by his brother-in-law, Godgifu's second husband, Eustace II of Boulogne . His men caused an affray in Dover , and Edward ordered Godwin as earl of Kent to punish
4312-508: The control of earldoms. In 1055, Siward died, but his son was considered too young to command Northumbria , and Harold's brother, Tostig , was appointed. In 1057, Leofric and Ralph died, and Leofric's son Ælfgar succeeded as Earl of Mercia, while Harold's brother Gyrth succeeded Ælfgar as Earl of East Anglia. The fourth surviving Godwin brother, Leofwine , was given an earldom in the south-east carved out of Harold's territory, and Harold received Ralph's territory in compensation. Thus by 1057,
4410-558: The cultural heritage of the town. According to the festival's website, it began as a weekly event but soon expanded to last a whole month. Leek came second in the Telegraph's "High Street of the Year 2013", behind winner Deal in Kent . Parks and open spaces in Leek include Westwood Recreation Ground and Woodcroft Recreation Ground west of the town centre, and Pickwood Recreation Ground to
4508-635: The design of the railway stations for the Churnet Valley Railway brought him to the area. In the following year William's son, Larner Sugden, was born. After schooling in Yorkshire , Larner returned to Leek in 1866 to be apprenticed to his father as an architect, and thus was formed the famous Sugden & Son (Architects), whose influence on the town was to be profound. The firm had offices in Derby Street. The building still survives,
4606-425: The early 12th century, historians have puzzled over Edward's intentions for the succession. One school of thought supports the Norman case that Edward always intended William the Conqueror to be his heir, accepting the medieval claim that Edward had already decided to be celibate before he married, but most historians believe that he hoped to have an heir by Edith at least until his quarrel with Godwin in 1051. William
4704-440: The east. Brough Park lies immediately north of the town centre. There is formal landscaping, paths, a variety of trees and a lake. The park originated in 1913 when W. S. Brough, a local businessman, gave 10 + 1 ⁄ 2 acres of his Ball Haye Hall estate to Leek Urban District Council (LUDC); a further 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 acres was given in 1921 by Joseph Tatton, and the park was opened in 1924. There were tennis courts and
4802-443: The edge of town adjacent to the railway station . Later, this was one of the stations closed following Dr Beeching 's recommendations, and a supermarket now stands on the site. The Nicholson War Memorial was dedicated in 1925. Leek offers some contemporary architecture, most notably the alterations and refurbishment to Trinity Church on Derby Street (2011) and new teaching building on Horton Street for Leek College (2013). Leek
4900-524: The end of Edward's reign. After the mid-1050s, Edward seems to have withdrawn from affairs as he became increasingly dependent on the Godwins, and he may have become reconciled to the idea that one of them would succeed him. The Normans claimed that Edward sent Harold to Normandy in about 1064 to confirm the promise of the succession to William. The strongest evidence comes from a Norman apologist, William of Poitiers . According to his account, shortly before
4998-507: The fight against Sweyn's son, Cnut. According to Scandinavian tradition, Edward fought alongside Edmund; as Edward was at most thirteen years old at the time, the story is disputed. Edmund died in November 1016, and Cnut became undisputed king. Edward then again went into exile with his brother and sister; in 1017 his mother married Cnut. In the same year, Cnut had Edward's last surviving elder half-brother, Eadwig , executed. Edward spent
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#17327831684065096-542: The first by his second wife, Emma of Normandy . Edward was born between 1003 and 1005 in Islip, Oxfordshire , and is first recorded as a 'witness' to two charters in 1005. He had one full brother, Alfred , and a sister, Godgifu . In charters he was always listed behind his older half-brothers, showing that he ranked beneath them. During his childhood, England was the target of Viking raids and invasions under Sweyn Forkbeard and his son, Cnut . Following Sweyn's seizure of
5194-627: The fleet at Sandwich . Beorn's elder brother, Sweyn II of Denmark "submitted himself to Edward as a son", hoping for his help in his battle with Magnus for control of Denmark, but in 1047 Edward rejected Godwin's demand that he send aid to Sweyn, and it was only Magnus's death in October that saved England from attack and allowed Sweyn to take the Danish throne. Modern historians reject the traditional view that Edward mainly employed Norman favourites, but he did have foreigners in his household, including
5292-508: The following year, he retreated and was killed by Welsh enemies. Edward and Harold were then able to impose vassalage on some Welsh princes. In October 1065, Harold's brother, Tostig, Earl of Northumbria, was hunting with the king when his thegns in Northumbria rebelled against his rule , which they claimed was oppressive, and killed some 200 of his followers. They nominated Morcar , the brother of Edwin of Mercia, as earl and invited
5390-494: The former North Staffordshire Line. Longer term plans include the development of a North Staffordshire museum alongside the new railway station, and a new canal marina. The surrounding countryside of the Staffordshire Moorlands and the Peak District makes the area a popular tourist destination. The town is on a key route north to Buxton via the A53 road. Just outside the town is Peak Wildlife Park , which
5488-546: The former trackbed is occupied by the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway , a 10 + 1 ⁄ 4 in (260 mm) gauge tourist line which runs beside Rudyard Lake , to the north-west of Leek. Plans are afoot to build a new station roughly half a mile south of the original, as part of bigger plans to develop the Barnfield area of Leek as a tourist attraction. The re-introduction of a railway service
5586-518: The greatest catastrophes to which the English have ever succumbed." Edward's Norman sympathies are most clearly seen in the major building project of his reign, Westminster Abbey , the first Norman Romanesque church in England. This was commenced between 1042 and 1052 as a royal burial church, consecrated on 28 December 1065, completed after his death in about 1090, and demolished in 1245 to make way for Henry III's new building, which still stands. It
5684-705: The ground floor now being occupied by Boots the Chemist . Larner was a great supporter of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, and so Leek's development was in sympathetic hands. The architectural output from Sugden & Son was both prolific and varied. Some of the buildings designed by the Sugdens are as follows: The Sugden masterpiece was, perhaps, the Nicholson Institute, built in
5782-488: The historian Richard Mortimer notes, 'contains obvious elements of the ideal king, expressed in flattering terms – tall and distinguished, affable, dignified and just.' Edward was allegedly not above accepting bribes. According to the Ramsey Liber Benefactorum , the monastery's abbot decided that it would be dangerous to publicly contest a claim brought by "a certain powerful man", but he claimed he
5880-747: The hollow of the hill's steep northern side, before setting again. Plot's detailed account can be found in his book The Natural History of Staffordshire . Traditionally, the best location for seeing the double sunset was in the grounds of the parish church, but it is no longer visible from there. Locations to witness the spectacle are from Lowe Hill, on the outskirts of the town, and from the private road to Pickwood Hall, off Milltown Way. The phenomenon and its possible observation points are described in detail in Jeff Kent 's book, The Mysterious Double Sunset . Every year in May, Leek Arts Festival takes place, celebrating
5978-423: The industrial landscape. However, this industry has now ceased. The mills from the town's textile era remain and many have now been converted into housing. Britannia Building Society had its headquarters in the town and was a large local employer. Irish agricultural cooperative Ornua has its UK headquarters located in Leek, producing and purchasing butter and cheese and employing over 700 staff. Most of
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#17327831684066076-424: The invaders back into Wales. Peace was concluded with the reinstatement of Ælfgar, who was able to succeed as Earl of Mercia on his father's death in 1057. Gruffydd swore an oath to be a faithful under-king of Edward. Ælfgar likely died in 1062, and his young son Edwin was allowed to succeed as Earl of Mercia, but Harold then launched a surprise attack on Gruffydd. He escaped, but when Harold and Tostig attacked again
6174-485: The irregularity of Stigand's position. Edward usually preferred clerks to monks for the most important and richest bishoprics, and he probably accepted gifts from candidates for bishoprics and abbacies. However, his appointments were generally respectable. When Odda of Deerhurst died without heirs in 1056, Edward seized lands which Odda had granted to Pershore Abbey and gave them to his Westminster foundation; historian Ann Williams observes that "the Confessor did not in
6272-562: The last legitimate Anglo-Saxon king. The shrine of Saint Edward the Confessor in Westminster Abbey remains where it was after the final translation of his body to a chapel east of the sanctuary on 13 October 1269 by Henry III. The day of his translation, 13 October (his first translation had also been on that date in 1163), is an optional memorial in the Catholic dioceses of England only. Saint Edward may also be commemorated on
6370-563: The local football club Leek Town F.C. , Alton Towers , the cultural and leisure facilities of the city of Stoke-on-Trent , and the Peak District National Park . The Churnet Valley Railway at Cheddleton also attracts several thousand passengers a year, and they are working in partnership with Moorlands & City Railways to extend the CVR the 1 mile from its current northern terminus at Leekbrook back into Leek itself along
6468-518: The more war-like figure of Saint George, and in 1348 he established the Order of the Garter with Saint George as its patron. At Windsor Castle , its chapel of Saint Edward the Confessor was re-dedicated to Saint George, who was acclaimed in 1351 as patron of the English race. Edward was a less popular saint for many, but he was important to the Norman dynasty, which claimed to be the successor of Edward as
6566-534: The nearby towns of Buxton and Macclesfield . Leek no longer has its own national railway station; the nearest is now at Congleton , for local stopping services to Manchester , and Stoke-on-Trent for inter-city services to London and Manchester. The former Leek railway station was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 13 July 1849, but was finally closed in 1965. The Stoke-Leek line lost its passenger service in 1956, whilst
6664-401: The opportunity to renew Edward's claim. This time, it had the full support of the king and the English hierarchy, and a grateful pope issued the bull of canonisation on 7 February 1161, the result of a conjunction of the interests of Westminster Abbey, King Henry II and Pope Alexander III. He was called 'Confessor' as the name for someone who was believed to have lived a saintly life but was not
6762-482: The plea of insanity. Listed buildings include the original parish church, St Edward the Confessor's , and a Victorian church, All Saints' , designed by Richard Norman Shaw . Many Victorian period buildings still stand in the town. Many of Leek's buildings were built by the family architectural practice of the Sugdens. In 1849 William Sugden (b. 1821 in Keighley ) came to Leek. He was an architect and his work on
6860-526: The pope had forbidden it, but Spearhafoc occupied the bishopric for several months with Edward's support. After the Godwins fled the country, Edward expelled Spearhafoc, who fled with a large store of gold and gems which he had been given to make Edward a crown. Stigand was the first archbishop of Canterbury not to be a monk in almost a hundred years, and he was said to have been excommunicated by several popes because he held Canterbury and Winchester in plurality. Several bishops sought consecration abroad because of
6958-444: The southern earldoms. He had no personal power base, and it seems he did not attempt to build one. In 1050–51 he even paid off the fourteen foreign ships which constituted his standing navy and abolished the tax raised to pay for it. However, in ecclesiastical and foreign affairs he was able to follow his own policy. King Magnus I of Norway aspired to the English throne, and in 1045 and 1046, fearing an invasion, Edward took command of
7056-443: The support of King Stephen , but he lacked the full support of the English hierarchy and Stephen had quarrelled with the church, so Pope Innocent II postponed a decision, declaring that Osbert lacked sufficient testimonials of Edward's holiness. In 1159, there was a disputed election to the papacy , and Henry II 's support helped to secure the recognition of Pope Alexander III. In 1160, a new abbot of Westminster, Laurence, seized
7154-523: The throne in 1013, Emma fled to Normandy , followed by Edward and Alfred, and then by Æthelred. Sweyn died in February 1014, and leading Englishmen invited Æthelred back on the condition that he promised to rule 'more justly' than before. Æthelred agreed, sending Edward back with his ambassadors. Æthelred died in April 1016, and he was succeeded by Edward's older half-brother Edmund Ironside , who carried on
7252-573: The throne in about 1034 but it was blown off course to Jersey . He also received support for his claim to the throne from several continental abbots, particularly Robert , abbot of the Norman abbey of Jumièges , who later became Edward's Archbishop of Canterbury. Edward was said to have developed an intense personal piety during this period, but modern historians regard this as a product of the later medieval campaign for his canonisation. In Frank Barlow's view "in his lifestyle would seem to have been that of
7350-552: The throne. Harthacnut, his position in Denmark now secure, planned an invasion, but Harold died in 1040, and Harthacnut was able to cross unopposed, with his mother, to take the English throne. In 1041, Harthacnut invited Edward back to England, probably as his heir because he knew he had not long to live. The 12th-century Quadripartitus states that he was recalled by the intervention of Bishop Ælfwine of Winchester and Earl Godwin. Edward met "the thegns of all England" at Hursteshever, likely near modern-day Hurst Spit opposite
7448-720: The throne. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle describes the popularity he enjoyed at his accession – "before he [Harthacnut] was buried, all the people chose Edward as king in London." Edward was crowned at the cathedral of Winchester , the royal seat of the West Saxons , on Easter Sunday, 3 April 1043. Edward complained that his mother had "done less for him than he wanted before he became king, and also afterwards". In November 1043, he rode to Winchester with his three leading earls, Leofric of Mercia , Godwin, and Siward of Northumbria , to deprive her of her property, possibly because she
7546-469: The throne. Biographers Frank Barlow and Peter Rex, on the other hand, portray Edward as a successful king, one who was energetic, resourceful and sometimes ruthless; they argue that the Norman conquest shortly after his death tarnished his image. However, Richard Mortimer argues that the return of the Godwins from exile in 1052 "meant the effective end of his exercise of power", citing Edward's reduced activity as implying "a withdrawal from affairs". About
7644-573: The town is at or above 600 feet (180 m) and is surrounded by the higher countryside of the Staffordshire Moorlands which is situated on the southern uplands of the Pennines . Leek is built on the slope and crown of a hill which is situated just a few miles south of the Roaches ; a gritstone escarpment which rises steeply to 1,657 feet (505 m). Leek is situated at the foot of the Peak District National Park and
7742-433: The town's burgesses, but he took their side and refused. Edward seized the chance to bring his over-mighty earl to heel. Archbishop Robert accused Godwin of plotting to kill the king, just as he had killed his brother Alfred in 1036, while Leofric and Siward supported the king and called up their vassals. Sweyn and Harold called up their own vassals, but neither side wanted a fight, and Godwin and Sweyn appear to have each given
7840-456: The traditional image of him as unworldly and pious. Confessor reflects his reputation as a saint who did not suffer martyrdom as opposed to his uncle, King Edward the Martyr . Some portray Edward the Confessor's reign as leading to the disintegration of royal power in England and the advance in power of the House of Godwin , because of the infighting that began after his death with no heirs to
7938-543: The wealth and power of the Abbey. By 1138, he had converted the Vita Ædwardi Regis , the life of Edward commissioned by his widow, into a conventional saint's life. He seized on an ambiguous passage which might have meant that their marriage was chaste, perhaps to give the idea that Edith's childlessness was not her fault, to claim that Edward had been celibate. In 1139, Osbert went to Rome to petition for Edward's canonisation with
8036-620: Was a ceremony to dedicate Birch Gardens as a Centenary Field, in memory of those who died in World War I. It was part of the Centenary Fields programme of Fields in Trust , to safeguard public spaces. A plaque to mark the occasion was unveiled by Councillor Mike Bowen. Nearby Rudyard Lake is a popular tourist attraction and home to the Rudyard Lake Steam Railway , running along its eastern shores. Other nearby local attractions are
8134-425: Was a continuing source of dispute with the pope. Until the mid-1050s Edward was able to structure his earldoms to prevent the Godwins from becoming dominant. Godwin died in 1053, and although Harold succeeded to his earldom of Wessex, none of his other brothers were earls at this date. His house was then weaker than it had been since Edward's succession, but a succession of deaths from 1055 to 1057 completely changed
8232-506: Was an Anglo-Saxon English king and saint . Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex , he ruled from 1042 until his death in 1066. Edward was the son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy . He succeeded Cnut the Great 's son – and his own half-brother – Harthacnut . He restored the rule of the House of Wessex after the period of Danish rule since Cnut conquered England in 1016. When Edward died in 1066, he
8330-520: Was an exile at Edward's court after his father, Duncan I , was killed in battle in 1040, against men led by Macbeth who seized the Scottish throne. In 1054, Edward sent Siward to invade Scotland. He defeated Macbeth, and Malcolm, who had accompanied the expedition, gained control of southern Scotland. By 1058, Malcolm had killed Macbeth in battle and had taken the Scottish throne. In 1059, he visited Edward, but in 1061, he started raiding Northumbria with
8428-524: Was appointed to an earldom in the south-west midlands, and on 23 January 1045 Edward married Godwin's daughter Edith . Soon afterwards, her brother Harold and her Danish cousin Beorn Estrithson were also given earldoms in southern England. Godwin and his family now ruled subordinately all of Southern England . However, in 1047 Sweyn was banished for abducting the abbess of Leominster . In 1049, he returned to try to regain his earldom, but this
8526-480: Was brought up at the English court. He was given the designation Ætheling , meaning throne-worthy, which may mean that Edward considered making him his heir, and he was briefly declared king after Harold's death in 1066. However, Edgar was absent from witness lists of Edward's diplomas, and there is no evidence in the Domesday Book that he was a substantial landowner, which suggests that he was marginalised at
8624-413: Was captured by Godwin, Earl of Wessex , who turned him over to Harold Harefoot. He had Alfred blinded by forcing red-hot pokers into his eyes to make him unsuitable for kingship, and Alfred died soon after as a result of his wounds. The murder is thought to be the source of much of Edward's hatred for Godwin and one of the primary reasons for Godwin's banishment in autumn 1051. Edward is said to have fought
8722-409: Was childless, and Archbishop Robert urged her divorce. Sweyn went on pilgrimage to Jerusalem (dying on his way back), but Godwin and his other sons returned, with an army following a year later, and received considerable support, while Leofric and Siward failed to support the king. Both sides were concerned that a civil war would leave the country open to foreign invasion. The king was furious, but he
8820-498: Was descended from a family which had served Æthelred. Siward was probably Danish, and although Godwin was English, he was one of Cnut's new men, married to Cnut's former sister-in-law. However, in his early years, Edward restored the traditional strong monarchy, showing himself, in Frank Barlow's view, "a vigorous and ambitious man, a true son of the impetuous Æthelred and the formidable Emma." In 1043, Godwin's eldest son Sweyn
8918-454: Was forced to give way and restore Godwin and Harold to their earldoms, while Robert of Jumièges and other Frenchmen fled, fearing Godwin's vengeance. Edith was restored as queen, and Stigand , who had again acted as an intermediary between the two sides in the crisis, was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in Robert's place. Stigand retained his existing bishopric of Winchester, and his pluralism
9016-495: Was holding on to treasure which belonged to the king. Her adviser, Stigand , was deprived of his bishopric of Elmham in East Anglia . However, both were soon restored to favour. Emma died in 1052. Edward's position when he came to the throne was weak. Effective rule required keeping on terms with the three leading earls, but loyalty to the ancient house of Wessex had been eroded by the period of Danish rule, and only Leofric
9114-453: Was said to have been opposed by Harold and Beorn, probably because they had been given Sweyn's land in his absence. Sweyn murdered his cousin Beorn and went again into exile. Edward's nephew Ralph was given Beorn's earldom, but the following year Sweyn's father was able to secure his reinstatement. The wealth of Edward's lands exceeded that of the greatest earls, but they were scattered among
9212-560: Was succeeded by his wife's brother Harold Godwinson , who was defeated and killed in the same year at the Battle of Hastings by the Normans under William the Conqueror . Edward's young great-nephew Edgar Ætheling of the House of Wessex was proclaimed king after the Battle of Hastings, but was never crowned and was peacefully deposed after about eight weeks. Historians disagree about Edward's fairly long 24-year reign. His nickname reflects
9310-469: Was the home of James Brindley , the 18th century canal engineer . He built a water-powered corn mill in 1752. This watermill is now preserved as Brindley Water Mill and Museum . William Morris , founder of the Arts and Crafts movement , often visited Leek between 1875 and 1878. He studied dyeing with Thomas Wardle , owner of a dyeworks in the town, and it was Leek which provided his firm with silk. It
9408-571: Was through the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, which he founded in 1877, that he came into contact with Larner Sugden, the local architect. Sugden would play a part in establishing a "William Morris Labour Church" in Leek, after Morris' death in 1896. Sugden also published a series called "the Bijou of Leek Freethought Reprints". The 7th volume, published 1884, contained a lecture by Morris, entitled Art and Socialism. Dame Averil Cameron Professor of Late Antique and Byzantine History in
9506-494: Was unable to come to England to assert his claim to the throne. It was therefore decided that his elder half-brother Harold Harefoot should act as regent, while Emma held Wessex on Harthacnut's behalf. In 1036, Edward and his brother Alfred separately came to England. Emma later claimed that they came in response to a letter forged by Harold inviting them to visit her, but historians believe that she probably did invite them in an effort to counter Harold's growing popularity. Alfred
9604-435: Was very similar to Jumièges Abbey , which was built at the same time. Robert of Jumièges must have been closely involved in both buildings, although it is not clear which is the original and which is the copy. Edward does not appear to have been interested in books and associated arts, but his abbey played a vital role in the development of English Romanesque architecture, showing that he was an innovative and generous patron of
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