105-576: Blythe Bridge ( / b l aɪ ð b r ɪ dʒ / ) is a village in Staffordshire , England, south-east of Stoke-on-Trent . Blythe Bridge is so called as it is built around the site of a bridge over the River Blithe (spelt differently from the name of the village itself), a small river which passes directly through the village. It has a high school and sixth form , library , as well as
210-471: A county corporate , meaning it was administered separately from the rest of Staffordshire, remaining so until 1888. Handsworth and Perry Barr became part of the county borough of Birmingham , and thus Warwickshire , in 1911 and 1928 respectively. Burton, in the east of the county, became a county borough in 1901, and was followed by Smethwick , another town in the Black Country in 1907. In 1910
315-487: A detached part of Worcestershire, expanded and became associated with Staffordshire instead. This reorganisation led to the administrative county of Staffordshire having a thin protrusion passing between the county boroughs (to the east) and Shropshire, to the west, to form a short border with Worcestershire. Under the Local Government Act 1972 , on 1 April 1974, the county boroughs of the Black Country and
420-606: A public house , The Black Cock on Uttoxeter Road. The Smithfield and The White Cock were demolished due to the construction of two housing estates and The Duke of Wellington is now a Tesco Express. The village also has a bakery , mortgage shop, betting shop , newsagents, motor garage, GP surgery, a micropub, a few hairdressers and some fast-food outlets. The library is joined to Blythe Bridge High School and Blythe Bridge Youth Centre. The Duke of Wellington
525-468: A common belief that the name derives from a passage in The Description of Britain ( Latin : De Situ Britanniæ ), an infamous historical forgery concocted by Charles Bertram in the 1740s and accepted as genuine until the 1840s. In 2004, George Redmonds reassessed this, finding that numerous respected writers passed over the origin of the mountains' name in silence even in works dedicated to
630-673: A daily basis. Pennines The Pennines ( / ˈ p ɛ n aɪ n z / ), also known as the Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills , are a range of uplands mainly located in Northern England . Commonly described as the " backbone of England" because of its length and position, the range runs from Derbyshire and Staffordshire in the north of the Midlands to Northumberland in North East England . From
735-590: A factory and the UK headquarters of Bostikon Common Road, in the north of the town. Numark Pharmacy is at Tamworth . Bristan based in Dordon and Baddesley Ensor on the Birch Coppice Business Park south-west of Tamworth, next to a new Ocado distribution centre, is the UK's largest supplier of kitchen and bathroom taps; Volkswagen Group (VAG UK) have their main UK distribution facility there,
840-464: A former major motorway link route ( M1 to M6 ) was partially relieved by the A50 dual-carriageway. The bypass road opened in 1975, and then the section to Uttoxeter in 1985. The nearby Meir Aerodrome closed in 1973 and the land was used to build the large Meir Park housing estate. Staffordshire Staffordshire ( / ˈ s t æ f ər d ʃ ɪər , - ʃ ər / ; postal abbreviation Staffs .)
945-664: A native of Stoke-on-Trent, at a public gathering in the village of Mow Cop . He originally followed the Wesleyan form of Methodism but in 1801 he reformed the Methodist service by conducting it outside. By 1811 with his brother he founded the first chapel in the Tunstall area of Stoke-on-Trent. The most popular synagogue in the county is on London Road in Newcastle-Under-Lyme , which opened in 2006 and replaced
1050-436: A population of 1,131,052. After Stoke-on-Trent (258,366), the largest settlements are Tamworth (78,646), Newcastle-under-Lyme (75,082), Burton upon Trent (72,299) and Stafford (71,673); the city of Lichfield has a population of 33,816. For local government purposes Staffordshire comprises a non-metropolitan county , with nine districts, and the unitary authority area of Stoke-on-Trent. The county historically included
1155-672: A series of geological structures whose overall form is a broad anticline whose axis extends in a north–south direction. The North Pennines are coincident with the Alston Block and the Yorkshire Dales are coincident with the Askrigg Block . In the south the Peak District is essentially a flat-topped dome. Each of the structures consists of Carboniferous limestone overlain with Millstone Grit . The limestone
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#17327904689371260-826: A unitary authority independent of Staffordshire once more. In July 2009, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found in Britain was discovered in a field near Lichfield. The artefacts, known as The Staffordshire Hoard , have tentatively been dated to the 7th or 8th centuries, placing the origin of the items in the time of the Kingdom of Mercia . Staffordshire has a completely comprehensive system with eight independent schools. Most secondary schools are from 11 to 16 or 18, but two in Staffordshire Moorlands and South Staffordshire are from 13 to 18. Resources are shared where appropriate. There are two universities in
1365-419: Is a NUTS 3 region (code UKG22). Staffordshire operates a cabinet-style council . There are 62 councillors for Staffordshire. The Full Council elects a cabinet of 10 councillors, including the council leader, from the majority party. Each cabinet member has their own portfolio about which they make the "day to day" decisions. Some settlements were formerly governed as part of the county, these are now under
1470-515: Is a landlocked ceremonial county in the West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the south-east, the West Midlands county and Worcestershire to the south, and Shropshire to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Stoke-on-Trent , and the county town is Stafford . The county has an area of 1,713 square kilometres (661 sq mi) and
1575-785: Is bordered by the foothills of the Lake District , and uplands of the Howgill Fells, Orton Fells, Border Moors and Cheviot Hills. The West Pennine Moors, Rossendale Valley and Forest of Bowland are western spurs, the former two are in the South Pennines. The Howgill Fells and Orton Fells are sometimes considered to be part of the Pennines, both inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The Pennines are fringed by extensive lowlands including
1680-569: Is covered by the archdeaconries of Stoke-upon-Trent and Lichfield . The current Bishop of Lichfield is Michael Ipgrave and the current Bishop of Stafford Geoff Annas . There are 298 Church of England churches in the county. Staffordshire is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham . The current archbishop is Bernard Longley . Primitive Methodism was founded in Staffordshire by Hugh Bourne ,
1785-742: Is exposed at the surface in the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District. In the Dales and the White Peak , limestone exposure has caused the formation of large cave systems and watercourses. In the Dales the caves or potholes are known as "pots" in the Yorkshire dialect . They include some of the largest caves in England at Gaping Gill , more than 350 ft (107 m) deep and Rowten Pot , 365 ft (111 m) deep. Titan in
1890-545: Is followed by Irish, making up 0.6%. Non-White citizens make up 2% of the population. The largest Non-White ethnic group are British Pakistanis . 94% of the population was born in England, and those born in Scotland and Wales together make up 1% of the total population. The brewing companies such as Coors Brewers are in Burton on Trent , as well as Marmite , Marston's Brewery , GNC UK ( health supplements ). Branston
1995-700: Is in Tamworth and the motorway heads southwest towards Birmingham. The M6 runs north–south through the county, which contains junctions 10A–16. The M6 Toll , the UK's first toll motorway , runs through the county with junctions in Weeford near Lichfield, Cannock and joins the M6 south of Stafford. The A5 and A34 run through the county. The former has been significantly widened to a dual carriageway at several sections, although much of it remains single carriageway. There are currently no airports with scheduled flights in
2100-604: Is now a Tesco Express after its closure as a pub in early 2013. Blythe Bridge is covered by The Blythe and Forsbrook Times , a weekly newspaper. It is produced by Times, Echo and Life Publications (established 1896), which publish the only independent family owned and run newspapers in North Staffordshire. Train services are available at Blythe Bridge railway station , which was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 7 August 1848, on
2205-543: Is represented in Minor counties cricket by Staffordshire County Cricket Club who have played in the Minor Counties Championship since 1895, a competition which it has won outright eleven times, making it the most successful Minor counties team. Famous international cricketers produced by the county include Sydney Barnes , Bob Taylor and Dominic Cork , all of whom went on to represent England . In
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#17327904689372310-517: Is served by long-distance CrossCountry and Avanti West Coast trains to Manchester. This station is also the terminus of the North Staffordshire line to Derby via Uttoxeter, which narrowly avoided closure in the 1960s. Stone railway station reopened in 2008. The county has relatively good links to the national roads network. Several major roads intersect the county, making it a popular location for commuters working in Birmingham. The M42 junction 10
2415-589: Is situated at Festival Park in Etruria , and is Stoke-on-Trent's largest private sector employer. Dechra Pharmaceuticals makes veterinary pharmaceuticals at Talke . Churchill China is at Sandyford near Tunstall . Sumitomo Electrical Wiring Systems (Europe) , which supplies wiring for the automotive industry, is at Silverdale . At Kidsgrove , Converteam make variable speed drives (VSDs); AAH Pharmaceuticals has its Enterprise and Trident divisions in Talke , in
2520-456: Is sparsely populated by English standards. Larger population centres are in the foothills and lowlands fringing the southern Pennine range, such as Barnsley , Chesterfield , Halifax , Huddersfield , Macclesfield , Oldham , Bury , Rochdale , Middleton , and Stockport but most of the northern Pennine range is thinly populated. The cities of Bradford , Derby , Leeds , Manchester , Sheffield , Stoke-on-Trent and Wakefield are also in
2625-531: Is the most important mineral quarried, mainly for roads and cement, while other extracted materials include shale for cement and gritstone for building stone. The springs at Buxton and Ashbourne are exploited to produce bottled mineral water and there are approximately 2,700 farms in the National Park. The South Pennines are predominantly industrial, with the main industries including textiles, quarrying and mining, while other economic activities within
2730-825: Is the original home of Branston Pickle , where the original factory can still be seen on Burton Road. Spirit Pub Company is near the A5121/A38 junction, with Punch Taverns slightly further north. Newell Rubbermaid UK (owner of Parker Pen , Berol , Paper Mate and DYMO ), a large RDC of Tesco, and Zytek (motorsport) is at Fradley Park, on an old airfield . Norgren was an international pneumatic technology company on Eastern Avenue, Lichfield. Michelin Tyres are made at Sideway in Stoke-on-Trent. Royal Doulton and Wedgwood were/are based at Burslem and Barlaston respectively. Portmeirion Pottery , which owns
2835-692: The A684 road from Sedbergh to Hawes via Garsdale Head which reaches 1,100 feet (340 m). Further south the A58 road traverses the Calder Valley between West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester reaching 1,282 feet (391 m) between Littleborough and Ripponden , while the A646 road along the Calder Valley between Burnley and Halifax reaches 764 feet (233 m) following valley floors. In
2940-602: The Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District of Staffordshire became, along with Birmingham, Solihull, and Coventry and other districts, a new metropolitan county of West Midlands. County boroughs were abolished, with Stoke becoming a non-metropolitan district in Staffordshire, and Burton forming an unparished area in the district of East Staffordshire . On 1 April 1997, under a recommendation of the Banham Commission , Stoke-on-Trent became
3045-768: The Britannia Building Society which is based in Leek . JCB is based in Rocester near Uttoxeter and Bet365 which is based in Stoke-on-Trent. The theme park Alton Towers is in the Staffordshire Moorlands and several of the world's largest pottery manufacturers are based in Stoke-on-Trent. The town of Burton upon Trent is known for its beer brewing industry with several major brands such as Carling , Cobra and Marston's brewed there. The ceremonial county of Staffordshire (including
3150-583: The Crewe to Derby railway line. The station buildings and signal box have been demolished. The line currently runs from Crewe to Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire. A Heritage railway , Foxfield Light Railway operate north of the village, with the southern terminus, Caverswall Road, being 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north of the main line station along Blythe Bridge Road. The Uttoxeter Road,
3255-468: The Dark Peak with moorlands and gritstone edges, and the White Peak with limestone gorges. The South Pennines is an area of hills and moorlands with narrow valleys between the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales. Bowland is dominated by a central upland landform of deeply incised gritstone fells covered with tracts of heather-covered peat moorland, blanket bog and steep-sided wooded valleys linking
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3360-734: The Eden Valley , West Lancashire Coastal Plain , Cheshire Plain , Vale of York , Humberhead Levels and the Midland Plains . The main range of the Pennines start from its southern end at the Weaver Hills in the Peak District. The southern foothills of the range merge into the valley and basin of the River Trent , separating the range from the Midland Plains to the south. The Pennines continue northwards across
3465-564: The Industrial Revolution cross the range: The first of three Woodhead Tunnels was completed by the Sheffield, Ashton-Under-Lyne and Manchester Railway in 1845, engineered by Charles Vignoles and Joseph Locke . At the time of its completion in 1845, Woodhead 1 was one of the world's longest railway tunnels at a length of 3 miles 13 yards (4,840 m); it was the first of several trans-Pennine tunnels including
3570-584: The Local Government Act 1888 covering the county, except for the county boroughs of Wolverhampton , Walsall , and West Bromwich in the south (the area known as the Black Country ), and Hanley in the north. The Act also saw the towns of Tamworth (partly in Warwickshire) and Burton upon Trent (partly in Derbyshire) united entirely in Staffordshire. In 1553, Queen Mary made Lichfield
3675-550: The Local Government Commission for England , led to the creation of an area of contiguous county boroughs. The County Borough of Warley was formed by the merger of the county borough of Smethwick and municipal borough of Rowley Regis with the Worcestershire borough of Oldbury : the resulting county borough was associated with Worcestershire. Meanwhile, the county borough of Dudley , historically
3780-756: The Mersey (including the Irwell , Tame and Goyt ) flow westwards towards the Irish Sea . On the eastern side of the Pennines, the rivers Tyne , Wear , and Tees all drain directly to the North Sea . The Swale , Ure , Nidd , Wharfe , Aire , Calder and Don all flow into the Yorkshire Ouse , and reach the sea through the Humber Estuary . The River Trent flows around the southern end of
3885-714: The Midland Railway built the Settle-Carlisle Line through remote, scenic regions of the Pennines from near Settle to Carlisle passing Appleby-in-Westmorland and other settlements, some a distance from their stations. The line has survived, despite difficult times and is operated by Northern Rail. The Trans Pennine Trail , a long-distance route for cyclists, horse riders and walkers, runs west–east alongside rivers and canals, along disused railway tracks and through historic towns and cities from Southport to Hornsea (207 miles/333 km). It crosses
3990-731: The National Park . The main economic activities in the North Pennines include tourism, farming, timber and small-scale quarrying, due to the rural landscape. Gaps that allow west–east communication across the Pennines include the Tyne Gap between the Pennines and the Cheviots, through which the A69 road and Tyne Valley railway link Carlisle and Newcastle upon Tyne . The A66 road , its summit at 1,450 feet (440 m), follows
4095-589: The Northumberland National Park (9) sometimes also included. The North Pennines AONB just north of the Yorkshire Dales rivals the national park in size and includes some of the Pennines' highest peaks and its most isolated and sparsely populated areas. Other AONBs are Nidderdale east of the Yorkshire Dales, and the Bowland Fells , including Pendle Hill , west of the Yorkshire Dales. The language used in pre-Roman and Roman times
4200-702: The River Eden , and Cumbria . More commonly, local names result from Anglo-Saxon and Norse settlements. In Yorkshire, Teesdale , and Cumbria, many words of Norse origin, not commonly used in standard English, are part of everyday speech: for example, gill/ghyll (narrow steep valley), beck (brook or stream), fell (hill), and dale (valley). Northumbrian/borders terms are used in South Tynedale, Weardale , and Allendale , such as burn (stream), cleugh (ravine), hope (valley), law (hill) and linn (waterfall). The northern Pennine range
4305-403: The Royal Worcester brand, is in Stoke. Steelite International (pottery) is based at Middleport , in west Burslem, next to the Trent and Mersey Canal . Wade Ceramics is at Etruria to the east of Wolstanton, near the HQ of The Sentinel newspaper ( Harmsworth Printing ). Premier Foods make Mr Kipling slices and Cherry Bakewells at Trent Vale in the south of Stoke-on-Trent. Bet365
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4410-399: The Standedge and Totley tunnels, which are only slightly longer. The first two tunnels were replaced by Woodhead 3, which was longer at 3 miles 66 yards (4860m). It was bored for the overhead electrification of the route and completed in 1953. The tunnel was opened by the transport minister Alan Lennox-Boyd on 3 June 1954. It was designed by Sir William Halcrow & Partners. The line
4515-454: The Tyne Gap in the north, the range extends south through the North Pennines , Yorkshire Dales , South Pennines , and Peak District to end near the valley of the River Trent . The Border Moors and Cheviot Hills , which lie beyond the Tyne Gap, are included in some definitions of the range. The range is divided into two by the Aire Gap , a wide pass formed by the valleys of the rivers Aire and Ribble . There are several spurs off
4620-416: The West Midlands , and were first drawn up from the 1950s. All the county's districts contain some portion of belt. According to the 2001 Census the population of the Non-metropolitan Staffordshire is 806,744 and the population of Stoke-on-Trent was 240,636 making a total population of 1,047,380. In non-metropolitan Staffordshire, White British is the largest ethnicity, making up 96% of the population. This
4725-410: The Anglo-Saxons travelled through the valleys. During the Dark Ages the Pennines were controlled by Celtic and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. It is believed that the north Pennines were under the control of the kingdom of Rheged . During Norse times the Pennines were settled by Viking Danes in the east and Norwegian Vikings in the west. The Vikings influenced place names, culture and genetics. When England
4830-479: The Border Moors and Cheviot Hills, separated by the Tyne Gap and Whin Sill , along which run the A69 and Hadrian's Wall , are not part of the Pennines but, perhaps because the Pennine Way crosses them, they are treated as such. Most of the Pennine landscape is characterised by upland areas of high moorland indented by more fertile river valleys, although the landscape varies in different areas. The Peak District consists of hills, plateaus and valleys, divided into
4935-447: The Cheviots, the range is within Northumberland National Park , the North Pennines National Landscape, the Yorkshire Dales National Park , Nidderdale National Landscape , the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, and the Peak District National Park . The only significant unprotected gap is the area between Skipton and Marsden . Britain's oldest long-distance footpath , the 268-mile (429 km) Pennine Way , runs along most of
5040-405: The English league, they finally reclaimed their top flight status in 2008 by securing promotion to the Premier League . Stoke City reached their first FA Cup final in 2011 , but lost 1–0 to Manchester City . Port Vale, who like Stoke City play in Stoke-on-Trent, were formed in 1876 and became members of the Football League in 1892. After more than 70 years at various stadiums around the city,
5145-402: The Forest of Bowland include Ward's Stone 1,841 ft (561 m), Fair Snape Fell 1,710 ft (521 m), and Hawthornthwaite Fell 1,572 ft (479 m). Terrain is lower towards the south and the only peaks which exceed 2,000 ft (610 m) are Kinder Scout 2,087 ft (636 m) and Bleaklow 2,077 ft (633 m) in the Peak District. Other principal peaks in
5250-403: The Forest of Bowland to the southwest. The main range then continues northwards across the Yorkshire Dales to the Stainmore Gap where it adjoins the North Pennines. The range continues into its northern end at the Tyne Gap , separating it from the Border Moors and Cheviot Hills across the Anglo-Scottish border . Although the Pennines cover the area between the Peak District and the Tyne Gap,
5355-405: The Peak District and adjoin the South Pennines approximately around the Tame Valley , Standedge and Holme Valley . The South Pennines are separated from the Forest of Bowland by the Ribble Valley , and include the Rossendale Valley and West Pennine Moors in the west. The range continues further north into the Aire Gap which separates the Yorkshire Dales from the South Pennines to the south and
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#17327904689375460-472: The Peak District the A628 Woodhead road links the M67 motorway in Greater Manchester with the M1 motorway in South Yorkshire and Holme Moss is crossed by the A6024 road , whose highest point is near Holme Moss transmitting station between Longdendale and Holmfirth . The Pennines are traversed by the M62 motorway , the highest motorway in England at 1,221 feet (372 m) on Windy Hill near Junction 23. Three trans-Pennine canals built during
5565-435: The Peak District, a notable custom is well dressing , which has its origin in pagan traditions that became Christianised. Flora in the higher Pennines is adapted to moorland and subarctic landscapes and climates. The flora found there can be found in other areas of moorland in Northern Europe and some species are also found in areas of tundra . In the Pennine millstone grit areas above an altitude of 900 feet (270 m)
5670-403: The Peak District, the deepest shaft known in Britain, is connected to Peak Cavern in Castleton, Derbyshire , the largest cave entrance in the country. Erosion of the limestone has led to geological formations, such as the limestone pavements at Malham Cove . Between the northern and southern areas of exposed limestone between Skipton and the Dark Peak is a belt of exposed gritstone. Here
5775-466: The Pennine Way affects perceptions of the southern and northern extents of the defined area. The southern end of the Pennines is said to be in the High Peak of Derbyshire at Edale , the start of the Pennine Way, but the main range continues south across the Peak District to the Weaver Hills, with its foothills merging into the Trent Valley. This encompasses eastern Cheshire , northern and eastern Staffordshire , and southern Derbyshire. Conversely,
5880-423: The Pennines and northwards on the eastern side taking water from tributaries, principally the Dove and Derwent . The Trent drains the east and west sides of the southern Pennines, also reaching the North Sea through the Humber Estuary. The Trent and Ouse meet and enter the Humber at Trent Falls . Maximum discharge through the Humber can reach 1,500 m /s (53,000 cu ft/s). According to the Köppen classification ,
5985-442: The Pennines generally have a temperate oceanic climate ( Cfb ) like the rest of England, but the uplands have more precipitation, stronger winds and colder weather than the surrounding areas. Some of the higher elevations have a subpolar oceanic climate ( Cfc ), which may border a tundra ( ET ) and subarctic climate ( Dfc ) in areas like Great Dun Fell . More snow falls on the Pennines than on surrounding lowland areas due to
6090-751: The Pennines longer than it did in the surrounding areas of England. Eventually, the Celtic tongue of the Pennines was replaced by early English as Anglo-Saxons and Vikings settled the area and assimilated the Celts. During the Viking Age Scandinavian settlers brought their language, Old Norse . The fusion of Norse influences into Old English was important in the formation of Middle English and hence Modern English, and many individual words of Norse descent remain in use in local dialects, such as that of Yorkshire , and in local place names. The folklore and customs are mostly based on Celtic , Anglo-Saxon and Viking customs and folklore. Many customs and stories have their origin in Christianised pagan traditions. In
6195-408: The Pennines. Various etymologies have proposed treating "Pennine" as a native Brittonic /Modern Welsh name related to pen- ("head"). It did not become a common name until the 18th century and almost certainly derives from modern comparisons with the Apennine Mountains , which run down the middle of Italy in a similar fashion. Following an 1853 article by Arthur Hussey, it has become
6300-454: The Shropshire boundary. Ornua , best known for the Kerrygold brand, have a large cheese production site in Leek on Sunnyhills Road. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of the non-metropolitan county of Staffordshire at current basic prices by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British pounds sterling. Some nationally and internationally known companies have their base in Staffordshire. They include
6405-469: The South Pennines and Peak District include Black Hill 1,909 ft (582 m), Shining Tor 1,834 ft (559 m), Pendle Hill 1,827 ft (557 m), Black Chew Head 1,778 ft (542 m), Rombalds Moor 1,319 ft (402 m) and Winter Hill 1,496 ft (456 m). For much of their length the Pennines are the main watershed in northern England, dividing east and west. The rivers Eden , Ribble , Dane and tributaries of
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#17327904689376510-437: The South Pennines include tourism and farming. Although the Forest of Bowland is mostly rural, the main economic activities in the area include farming and tourism. In the Yorkshire Dales , tourism accounts for £350 million of expenditure every year while employment is mostly dominated by farming, accommodation and food sectors. There are also significant challenges for managing tourism, farming and other developments within
6615-429: The West Midlands county: In the 2011 United Kingdom census , the population of Staffordshire reported their religion as follows: The only cathedral in the county is Lichfield Cathedral in the city of Lichfield. The Diocese of Lichfield covers the whole county with the exception of Stapenhill and Amington , the north of the nearby county of Shropshire and the Black Country area of the West Midlands . The county
6720-585: The area. At the 2001 census there were 7,658 Muslims in Stoke-on-Trent and 6,081 in the rest of Staffordshire, with a total of 13,739 making up 1.3% of the population. 62.9% (3823) of the Muslims in the rest of Staffordshire are from the town of Burton-upon-Trent. Staffordshire has an extensive network of canals including the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal , Caldon Canal , Coventry Canal , Shropshire Union Canal , Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and Trent and Mersey Canal . Staffordshire has several railways that pass through and serve settlements within
6825-420: The botanical conservation charity Plantlife , and are nationally important for their wildflowers. Fauna in the Pennines is similar to the rest of England and Wales , but the area hosts some specialised species. Deer are found throughout the Pennines and some species of animals that are rare elsewhere in England can be found here. Arctic hares , which were common in Britain during the Ice Age and retreated to
6930-399: The churchyard of Stoke Minster . The county was formed in the early tenth century, when Stafford became the capital of Mercia . The county was relatively settled in the following centuries, and rapidly industrialised during the Industrial Revolution , when the North Staffordshire coalfield was exploited and fuelled the iron and automobilie industries in the south of the county. Pottery is
7035-434: The club has been less successful since the turn of the 21st century, and suffered relegation to League Two – the fourth tier of the English league – in 2008. The club has seen an upturn in its fortunes as the club was promoted to League One in the 2012–13 season. In the 2016–17 season Port Vale were relegated back to League Two. West Bromwich Albion , Wolverhampton Wanderers and Walsall are also notable clubs based in
7140-438: The club moved to its present home, Vale Park , in 1950. In early 1936, they had eliminated First Division champions Sunderland from the FA Cup. Another FA Cup success came in February 1988 when they eliminated seven-time winners Tottenham Hotspur from the competition . Promotion to the Second Division for the first time since the 1960s was secured in 1989, and Vale would spend nine of the next 11 years at this level. However,
7245-466: The county are once significant coalfields , including the South Staffordshire coalfield . In the southern part, there are also rich iron ore deposits. The largest river is the Trent . The soil is chiefly clay and agriculture was not highly developed until the mechanisation of farms. Staffordshire is home to the highest village in Britain, Flash . The village, in the Staffordshire Moorlands, stands at 1,519 ft (463 m) above sea level. This record
7350-400: The county's most famous export; a limited amount is still produced in Stoke-on-Trent. Historically, Staffordshire was divided into five hundreds : Cuttlestone , Offlow , Pirehill , Seisdon , and Totmonslow . The historic boundaries of Staffordshire cover much of what is now the metropolitan county of West Midlands . An administrative county of Staffordshire was set up in 1889 under
7455-407: The county, Keele University , west of Newcastle-under-Lyme , and the University of Staffordshire , which has campuses in Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, London, Lichfield and Shrewsbury . The modern county of Staffordshire currently has three professional football clubs – Stoke City and Port Vale , both from Stoke-on-Trent, and Burton Albion , who play in Burton upon Trent . Stoke City, one of
7560-504: The county, with the nearest ones being Birmingham , East Midlands and Manchester . Depending on the location, there is, however, Wolverhampton Airport in Bobbington and Tatenhill Airfield near Burton-upon-Trent, both of which are small airports catering for general aviation. Services within the county are chiefly provided by Arriva Midlands , D&G Bus and First Potteries . National Express coaches serve towns and cities on
7665-499: The county. The most important of these is the West Coast Main Line , which facilitates through services between London and Scotland. Few, if any, of these stop inside the county's borders. Stafford railway station is at a junction with the line to Birmingham New Street , a major hub, and is predominantly served by London Northwestern Railway . Stoke-on-Trent railway station is the busiest station in Staffordshire and
7770-717: The course of a Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith through the Stainmore Gap between the Eden Valley in Cumbria and Teesdale in County Durham. The Aire Gap links Lancashire and Yorkshire via the valleys of the Aire and Ribble . Other high-level roads include Buttertubs Pass , named from limestone potholes near its 1,729-foot (527 m) summit, between Hawes in Wensleydale and Swaledale and
7875-442: The dales with mostly pine, elm, lime and oak. On the limestone soils the oak was slower to colonize and pine and birch predominated. Around 3000 BC a noticeable decline in tree pollen indicates that neolithic farmers were clearing woodland to increase grazing for domestic livestock, and studies at Linton Mires and Eshton Tarn find an increase in grassland species. On poorly drained impermeable areas of millstone grit, shale or clays
7980-491: The elevation and distance from the coast; unlike lowland areas of England, the Pennines can have quite severe winters. The northwest is amongst the wettest regions of England and much of the rain falls on the Pennines. The eastern side is drier than the west—the rain shadow shields northeast England from rainfall that would otherwise fall there. Precipitation is important for the area's biodiversity and human population. Many towns and cities are located along rivers flowing from
8085-530: The former Birch Terrace synagogue in Hanley. According to the 2001 census there were 407 Jews in the non-metropolitan county of Staffordshire, and 83 in Stoke-on-Trent. There are 15 mosques in Stoke-on-Trent, 5 in Burton-upon-Trent and 1 in both Stafford and Lichfield. As of 2019 a new mosque has finished construction in the Hanley area of Stoke-on-Trent and is the first purpose-built mosque in
8190-463: The historic county boundaries. The county's other professional football team is Burton Albion , based in Burton upon Trent , who currently play in League One . The county has a number of non-league football clubs, including Tamworth , Stafford Rangers , Hednesford Town and Leek Town . In cricket , Staffordshire is one of the nineteen Minor counties of English and Welsh cricket . It
8295-718: The main Pennine range east into Greater Manchester and Lancashire , comprising the Rossendale Fells , West Pennine Moors , and Bowland Fells . The Howgill Fells and Orton Fells in Cumbria are also sometimes considered to be Pennine spurs. The Pennines are an important water catchment area, with numerous reservoirs in the head streams of the river valleys. Most of the range is protected by national parks and national landscapes (formerly Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty ). Running north to south, and including
8400-584: The mountainous terrain in the north. The highest point is Cross Fell in eastern Cumbria, at 2,930 feet (893 m) and other principal peaks in the North Pennines are Great Dun Fell 2,782 ft (848 m), Mickle Fell 2,585 ft (788 m), and Burnhope Seat 2,451 ft (747 m). Principal peaks in the Yorkshire Dales include Whernside 2,415 ft (736 m), Ingleborough 2,372 ft (723 m), High Seat 2,328 ft (710 m), Wild Boar Fell 2,324 ft (708 m) and Pen-y-ghent 2,274 ft (693 m). Principal peaks in
8505-620: The name against other contenders such as Daniel Defoe 's "English Andes". His own form of the name was the "Pennine Alps" ( Alpes Peninos ), which today is used for a western section of the continental Alps . Those mountains (the area around the St. Bernard Pass ) derive their name from the Latin Alpes Pœninæ whose name has been variously derived from the Carthaginians , a local god, and Celtic peninus . The St. Bernard Pass
8610-623: The north and in the south, the county is hilly, with the southern foothills and uplands of the Pennines in the north, with parts of it in the Peak District National Park. Most of the northern upland terrain is in the Staffordshire Moorlands district. Cannock Chase , an area of natural beauty, and part of the National Forest are in the south. In the middle regions, the landscape is low and undulating. In parts of
8715-653: The north-west of the West Midlands county, including Walsall , West Bromwich , and Wolverhampton . Staffordshire is hilly to the north and south. The southern end of the Pennines is in the north, containing part of the Peak District National Park , while the Cannock Chase AONB and part of the National Forest are in the south. The River Trent and its tributaries drain most of the county. From its source, near Biddulph ,
8820-593: The north–south Pennine Way (268 miles/431 km) at Crowden-in-Longdendale . Considerable areas of the Pennines are protected as UK national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are afforded much the same protection as national parks. The national parks within the Pennines are the Peak District National Park (1) and the Yorkshire Dales National Park (7) with
8925-679: The oldest professional football clubs in existence, were founded in 1863 and played at the Victoria Ground for 119 years from 1878 until their relocation to the Britannia Stadium (now named the Bet365 Stadium ) in 1997. They were among the 12 founder members of the Football League in 1888. By the late 1930s, they were established First Division members and boasted arguably the finest footballer in England at
9030-400: The range and in northwest England the lack of natural aquifers is compensated for by reservoirs. Water has carved out limestone landscapes in the North Pennines, Yorkshire Dales and Peak District, with gorges and caves present in the Yorkshire Dales and Peak District. In some areas, precipitation has contributed to poor soils, resulting in part in moorland landscapes that characterize much of
9135-498: The range. In other areas where the soil has not been degraded, it has resulted in lush vegetation. For the purpose of growing plants, the Pennines are in hardiness zones 7 and 8, as defined by the USDA . Zone 8 is common throughout most of the UK, and zone 7 is the UK's coldest hardiness zone. The Pennines, Scottish Highlands , Southern Uplands and Snowdonia are the only areas of the UK in zone 7. The Pennines have been carved from
9240-604: The river flows through Staffordshire in a southwesterly direction, meeting the Sow just east of Stafford; it then meets the River Tame and turns north-east, exiting into Derbyshire immediately downstream of Burton upon Trent. Staffordshire contains a number of Iron Age tumuli and Roman camps, and was settled by the Angles in the sixth century; the oldest Stafford knot , the county's symbol, can be seen on an Anglian cross in
9345-488: The shales and sandstones of the Millstone Grit form high hills occupied by moorland covered with bracken , peat , heather and coarse grasses; the higher ground is uncultivable and barely fit for pasture. The Pennines contained Bronze Age settlements, and evidence remains of Neolithic settlement including many stone circles and henges , such as Long Meg and Her Daughters . The uplands were controlled by
9450-667: The site of Birch Coppice Colliery before 1987. Ansell UK ( medical gloves , from Australia) is on Tamworth Enterprise Park. Whittington Barracks (DMS Whittington) near to the west is the home of the Defence Medical Services , Defence Dental Service , and the Defence Medical Services Training Centre . Premier Foods make Bird's Custard , Angel Delight and Marvel powdered milk in Knighton , west of Eccleshall near
9555-496: The six towns of the Staffordshire Potteries, including Hanley, became the single county borough of Stoke-on-Trent . A significant boundary change occurred in 1926 when the east of Sedgley was transferred to Worcestershire to allow the construction of the new Priory Estate on land purchased by Dudley County Borough council. A major reorganisation in the Black Country in 1966, under the recommendation of
9660-647: The surrounding foothills and lowlands. The Pennines contain the highest village in the United Kingdom, Flash , at 1,519 feet (463 m), near the southern end of the range in Staffordshire . The main economic activities in the Pennines include sheep farming , quarrying , finance and tourism . In the Peak District , tourism is the major local employment for park residents (24%), with manufacturing industries (19%) and quarrying (12%) also being important while 12% are employed in agriculture. Limestone
9765-553: The time in right-winger Stanley Matthews , who had two spells with the club between 1930 and his retirement in 1965 at the age of 50. In 1972, the club finally won a major trophy when they lifted the Football League Cup , but after relegation from the First Division in 1985 they would not experience top flight football for 23 years. After spending some two decades bouncing between the second and third tiers of
9870-479: The topological etymology of Derbyshire and Lancashire . He found that the derivation from Bertram was widely believed and considered uncomfortable. In fact, Redmonds found repeated comparisons with the Italian Apennines going back at least as early as William Camden (1551–1623) , many of whose placenames and ideas Bertram incorporated into his work. Bertram was responsible (at most) with popularizing
9975-488: The topsoil gets waterlogged in winter and spring. Here tree suppression combined with the heavier rainfall results in blanket bog up to 7 ft (2 m) thick. The erosion of peat still exposes stumps of ancient trees. "In digging it away they frequently find vast fir trees, perfectly sound, and some oaks ..." Limestone areas of the Pennines in the White Peak , Yorkshire Dales and Upper Teesdale have been designated as nature reserves or Important Plant Areas by
10080-518: The topsoil is so acidic, pH 2 to 4, that it can grow only bracken , heather , sphagnum , and coarse grasses such as cottongrass , purple moor grass and heath rush . As the Ice age glacial sheets retreated c. 11,500 BC trees returned and archaeological palynology can identify their species. The first trees to settle were willow, birch and juniper, followed later by alder and pine. By 6500 BC temperatures were warmer and woodlands covered 90% of
10185-592: The tribal federation of the Brigantes , made up of small tribes who inhabited the area and cooperated on defence and external affairs. They evolved an early form of kingdom. During Roman times , the Brigantes were dominated by the Romans who exploited the Pennines for their natural resources including the wild animals found there. The Pennines were an obstacle for Anglo-Saxon expansion westwards, although it appears
10290-577: The unitary authority of Stoke-on-Trent) is represented by twelve Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons . Eleven of the MPs represent the Conservative Party and one sits as an independent . The results of the 2019 general election in the county are as follows: Staffordshire County Council is the top-tier local council for the non-metropolitan county. For Eurostat purposes, it
10395-404: The upland and lowland landscapes. The landscape is higher and more mountainous in the Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines. The Yorkshire Dales are characterised by valleys, moorlands and fells while the North Pennines consist of plateaus, moorlands, fells, edges and valleys, with most of the higher peaks in the west. Rising less than 3,000 feet (900 m), the Pennines are fells , with most of
10500-595: The west of Kidsgrove. Andritz UK is at Wolstanton, in the north of Newcastle. Mann+Hummel UK, at Featherstone , make air and oil filters . Armitage Shanks (owned by Ideal Standard International) is to the east of Rugeley in Armitage with Handsacre ; JCB Cab Systems was next to the A51 on the Riverside Industrial Estate. The UK headquarters of GE Grid Solutions is based at Stafford as well as
10605-644: Was Common Brittonic . During the Early Middle Ages , the Cumbric language developed. Little evidence of Cumbric remains, so it is difficult to ascertain whether or not it was distinct from Old Welsh . The extent of the region in which Cumbric was spoken is also unknown. During Anglo-Saxon times the area was settled by Anglian peoples of Mercia and Northumbria , rather than the Saxon people of Southern England . Celtic speech remained in most areas of
10710-621: Was closed in 1981. The London and North Western Railway acquired the Huddersfield and Manchester Railway in 1847 and built a single-line tunnel parallel to the canal tunnel at Standedge with a length of 3 miles, 57 yards (4803 m). Today rail services along the Huddersfield line between Huddersfield and Victoria and Piccadilly stations in Manchester are operated by TransPennine Express and Northern . Between 1869 and 1876
10815-541: Was confirmed in 2007 by the Ordnance Survey after Wanlockhead in Scotland also claimed the record. The BBC 's The One Show investigated the case in a bid to settle the argument and Flash was confirmed as the higher of the two. The highest point in Staffordshire is Cheeks Hill . Staffordshire contains sectors of three green belt areas, two of which surround the large conurbations of Stoke-on-Trent and
10920-615: Was the pass used in the invasions of Italy by the Gallic Boii and Lingones in 390 BC. The etymology of the Apennines themselves—whose name first referred to their northern extremity and then later spread southward—is also disputed but is usually taken to derive from some form of Celtic pen or ben ("mountain, head"). Various towns and geographical features within the Pennines have names of Celtic origin, including Pennington , Penrith , Pen-y-ghent , Pendle Hill ,
11025-506: Was unified the Pennines were incorporated. The mix of Celtic, Anglo-Saxon and Viking heritage resembled much of the rest of northern England and its culture developed alongside its lowland neighbours in northwest and northeast England. The Pennines were not a distinct political polity , but were divided between neighbouring counties in northeast and northwest England; a major part was in the West Riding of Yorkshire . The Pennine region
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