Staffordshire is renowned for the craftsmanship of its world famous potteries at Stoke on Trent. It has some beautiful countryside, particularly where the Peak District National Park crosses into the north east of the county and also the breathtaking Cannock Chase, with its thirty thousand acres of forest and heathland further south. The hills in the north are a continuation of the moors of Derbyshire, rising in places to 1,500 feet above the River Trent. They are broken by several picturesque wooded valleys, such as Manifold, Milldale and Dovedale.
Lichfield Cathedral © TAB
The northern part of the county is known as the Potteries. The famous 'Five Towns' that make up The Potteries are Burslem, Hanley, Longton, Stoke and Tunstall. The centre and south of the county are generally level, with a few low valleys intersected by the Trent, Blithe, and Tame rivers.
In the centre of the county is a wide tract of heather and forest known as Cannock Chase, a haven for wildlife such as foxes, wild deer, badgers, red squirrels and green woodpeckers. The southern part of the county is known as the 'Black Country', due to the iron, coal and other associated heavy industries in that area.
Flash claims to be the highest village in England, at 1,158 feet above sea-level. Tamworth is famous for its pigs, which are a sandy red colour.
County Town: | Stafford - distance from London: 141 miles (226 km) |
Nearby Counties: | Cheshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire |
Train Operators: | Cross Country |
Nearest Airport: | Birmingham |
Major Roads: | A50, M6 |
Highest point: | Ordnance Station on Roaches, 1657 feet |
Rivers: | Blithe, Churnet, Dove, Penk, Sow, Tame, Tean, Trent |
County Flower: | Heather |
Local Delicacies: |
Lobby - stew made from leftovers,
once eaten by poorly paid potters. North Staffordshire oatcake - oatmeal, flour and yeast - cooked on a griddle. |
The Meaning of Staffordshire
First recorded in 1016 as Staeffordscir. Taken from the county town, the name comes from the Old English for: 'ford by the landing place', staeth meaning landing place.
Map of Staffordshire
The Midlands
