Stone, Staffordshire

Stone in the 1950s

I am now 57 years of age, and live in Australia. I was born in Stone, Stafforshire in 1949 and would love to go back and visit.
As a child I remember walking along the canal and standing watching as a blacksmith mended a horse's shoe. I remember hating school but even at that very tender age I was interested in the history of the school that I attended. Every day at home-time I walked on the stone footpath that was once laid by the Romans (is it still there?). The school was very old and I think that it was once used by monks?? It had very tall ceilings, rounded arches and big heavy doors. I remember taking a shortcut through the church cemetery across the road from the school.  I was very frightened as some of the graves were very old and some were partly opened, very scary. My parents, my sister and myself lived at 26 Redhill Road. My maiden name was Bruce.

Sandstone site as at 21 August 2006

First time on web page, co-incidently was at site yesterday 20 Aug 2006. I used to play all around the area as a young child 1970+ when the area was allotments, the current site has lost about 10ft in height due to 20 years of erosion, filling in etc. If you look to the left of the centre pillar and to the root overhang, there is about 2ft of sandstone left visible and then you are at root level to all the remaining trees. I will go back and take a photograph of the site, so it is not lost forever.

Stafford - A History & Celebration

At the foot of the castle lay a village. Established at the time of the castle’s construction and finally abandoned early in the 15th century, it is believed to have been the lost Domesday village of Montville, or ‘Mount Village.’ Only about 1% of the earthworks have so far been investigated and there are undoubtedly further archaeological discoveries to be made. It is to be hoped that the necessary resources will be found. In the Middle Ages admission to the walled town was controlled by gates, known logically, if unimaginatively, as the North, South, East and West Gates. Only the East Gate has retained its original name. In the Broad Eye area to the west, the loop of the river and Doxey marshes probably made hostile access difficult, and the ‘gate’ seems to have been little more than a gap in the walls. The North Gate eventually housed the town gaol and became known as the Gaol Gate. The archaic spelling of ‘gaol’, incidentally, has been known to confuse outsiders. There can be few Staffordians who have not at some time been asked the way to ‘Goalgate Street,’ or ‘Goal Road.’ The South Gate formed the main entrance to the town, and was called the Green Gate after the Green Bridge crossing the river at this point. (Courtesy of Friends of Stafford Castle) An artist’s impression of Stafford Castle in Norman times, on display at the Castle Visitor Centre. The small courtyard nearest the castle is the inner bailey, the larger one in mid-picture the outer bailey. The castle village of Montville lies in the foreground.

Stafford - A History & Celebration

Stafford was next involved in national politics when William Howard, Viscount Stafford (1614-80), became one of the victims of the so-called ‘Popish Plot’ invented by the notorious Titus Oates. Arrested in October 1678, Howard finally faced trial by his peers in December 1680. He was found guilty of high treason by 55 votes to 31. He behaved with immense courage and dignity throughout the trial. Upon conviction he said, ‘My lords, I have very little to say. I confess I am surprised at it, for I did not expect it; but God’s will be done, and Your Lordships, I will not murmur at it. God forgive those that have sworn falsely against me.’ The king spared Howard the appalling penalty of hanging, drawing and quartering, and he was beheaded on Tower Hill on 29 December 1680. Howard was beatified as the Blessed William Howard by a decree of (Nick Thomas) Izaak Walton’s cottage at Shallowford is one of Stafford’s three heritage sites.

Stafford - A History & Celebration

The town also has an association with Skarzysko/Kamienna in Poland. Like everywhere else, Stafford is changing. Until perhaps halfway through the last century the majority of people living in the town (Nick Thomas) A view of St Mary’s Grove, opposite the Church. The Georgian building on the left houses solicitors’ offices. (Nick Thomas) Church Lane, viewed from Water Street. This is one of the pleasantest parts of the town. A Television Regular The Stafford building most often shown on television is without doubt that of the Law Courts, frequently appearing on Midland news broadcasts at the time of major trials.