Wolstanton
| Wolstanton | |
|---|---|
 Wolstanton
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| Wolstanton shown within Staffordshire | |
| OS grid reference | SJ856480 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Newcastle, Staffordshire |
| Postcode district | ST5 |
| Dialling code | 01782 |
| Police | Staffordshire |
| Fire | Staffordshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Wolstanton is a suburban village on the outskirts of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
The Roman road the Rykeneld Street passed through Wolstanton.
Wolstanton is mentioned in the Norman Domesday book where it is listed amongst the lands belonging to the King. The land consisted of work for 2 ploughs, 14 villeins, 2 bordars and a priest (who had his own plough). Woodland then was measured as being a league by a furlong. When tax had been paid (by Ælfgar before the conquest) then it was set at six pounds.
Wolstanton Church, St. Margaret, is of red freestone. Rebuilt in 1860, it incorporated the layout and substantial elements of the old medieval church that had occupied the same site.
One of the village's many notable buildings is located on the corner of High Street and Nelson Street. During World War II and for some years afterwards, it was owned by the renowned Carr's Café and was daily frequented by the owners of many Stoke-on-Trent potteries who resided in the village. Ownership then passed to the District Bank (later incorporated into NatWest Bank) and subsequently Barclays Bank. Now it is known as Bank House, and is a retail outlet. A memorial plaque was unveiled there by Staffordshire Police in the summer of 2007 to commemorate the work of Henry Faulds, the fingerprint pioneer, who retired to live in the village at number 1 James Street and is buried at St Margaret's Church.
The architect Absalom Reed Wood (1851–1922) designed some of Wolstanton's grander buildings, including St Andrew's Church at the top of Porthill Bank and several of the houses along the High Street, just before the Porthill 'border'.
Wolstanton Colliery sunk 1916, originally an iron ore & coal mine located just to the east of the village. Redeveloped in the 1960s, the shafts being deepened to reach the lowermost coal seams produced 1 million Tons in 1963. The towering concrete structures located at the top of the shafts contained the 3 'Mine Winders' each winder motor rated 3300 horse power. The shafts at 1265 Yards, were noted as the deepest in Britain and the coal working depth extending further as the deepest in Western Europe. The mine was connected underground with neighbouring Hanley Deep, Sneyd & Whitfield collieries. By 1986 it was closed completely, eventually replaced by Wolstanton Retail Park. Recorded between 1923-1946 some 13 Miners are listed fatally injured. Recorded between 1947 and 1985, some 33 Wolstanton Miners were fatally injured. A memorial plaque is located on the approach road to the local Asda superstore that opened in 1989, and a commemorative 'winding wheel' features the newly opened Marks & Spencer flagship Superstore.
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Wikipedia