Featherstone, Staffordshire
Encyclopedia
Featherstone is a small village in the district of South Staffordshire
, England, near to the border with Wolverhampton
. Originally a farming community consisting of a few scattered farms. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book
of 1086, and was owned by the Clergy of Wolverhampton Church. It is possible that the population numbers were fairly static until the opening of a new mine, Hilton Main, in the 1920s, it closed in 1969.
The village's population at the time of the 1851 census was 35. By 1921 this had risen to 39. By the time of the 2001 census it was 3,948 The village has one primary school, Whitgreave Primary School, and a pub, the Red, White and Blue.
Recently controversy was sparked over the proposed building of 1,500 houses on green belt land, although many people believed the extra facilities proposed would make the village a better place to live. After much public opposition this plan was rejected in early 2009.
Featherstone also has a Methodist church and some small shops. There are three off licences (Featherstone Supermarket, Featherstone Wine Lodge, and Costcutter) a hairdresser and a chemist.
In 2008 there was some concern over the future of the post office, but it was not one of those closed.
Through the village there is a bus service, with only one bus going through at all times (except Sunday).
These are:
Every 30 Minutes weekdays and Saturdays
Sunday Buses:
Every 2½ Hours (Sunday Only)
On the outskirts of the village are HMP Featherstone
and HMP Brinsford
- which is also a Youth Offender Institution (YOI). Nearby is the site of the former Brinsford Lodge
.
The Church is in the village of Shareshill; Featherstone is part of the ecclesiastical Parish of Shareshill.
Built in the 1930s to replace a much older building nearby.
The old college, which has know been knocked down, is also a place that has history. It has old world war II shelters and tiles from the kitchen's. This is near the prison "featherstone 2" that is currently being built.
Brinsford Ward, two councillors.
Featherstone Ward, nine councillors.
The next Parish elections will be in 2011.
Featherstone is represented in the House of Commons
by Member of Parliament
Gavin Williamson
. Conservative member for South Staffordshire.
is lord of the manor of this small township of 550 acres and just 34 souls. This was once the residence of John Huntbach, the noted antiquary. The principal inhabitants are Joshua Price and Edward Tunycliffe, farmers, John Perry the lock manufacturer and Thomas Hill a vermin killer.
South Staffordshire
South Staffordshire is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. The district lies to the north and west of Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, bordering Shropshire to the west and Worcestershire to the south...
, England, near to the border with Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
. Originally a farming community consisting of a few scattered farms. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086, and was owned by the Clergy of Wolverhampton Church. It is possible that the population numbers were fairly static until the opening of a new mine, Hilton Main, in the 1920s, it closed in 1969.
The village's population at the time of the 1851 census was 35. By 1921 this had risen to 39. By the time of the 2001 census it was 3,948 The village has one primary school, Whitgreave Primary School, and a pub, the Red, White and Blue.
Recently controversy was sparked over the proposed building of 1,500 houses on green belt land, although many people believed the extra facilities proposed would make the village a better place to live. After much public opposition this plan was rejected in early 2009.
Featherstone also has a Methodist church and some small shops. There are three off licences (Featherstone Supermarket, Featherstone Wine Lodge, and Costcutter) a hairdresser and a chemist.
In 2008 there was some concern over the future of the post office, but it was not one of those closed.
Through the village there is a bus service, with only one bus going through at all times (except Sunday).
These are:
- Bus #70 - Cannock Via Cheslyn Hay
- Bus #70 - Wolverhampton
Every 30 Minutes weekdays and Saturdays
Sunday Buses:
- Bus #33 - Cannock Via Cheslyn Hay
- Bus #33 - Wolverhampton
Every 2½ Hours (Sunday Only)
On the outskirts of the village are HMP Featherstone
Featherstone (HM Prison)
HM Prison Featherstone is a Category C men's prison, located in the village of Featherstone , in Staffordshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
and HMP Brinsford
Brinsford (HM Prison)
HM Prison Brinsford is a male juvenile's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in the village of Featherstone , in Staffordshire, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
- which is also a Youth Offender Institution (YOI). Nearby is the site of the former Brinsford Lodge
Brinsford Lodge
Brinsford Lodge was a hall of residence for The Polytechnic, Wolverhampton from the mid 1960s to the early 1980s. Prior to that it was a Teacher Training College for Malaysian students and, during the Second World War, a hostel for employees at a nearby armaments factory...
.
Churches
- Church of St Mary & St Luke.
The Church is in the village of Shareshill; Featherstone is part of the ecclesiastical Parish of Shareshill.
Shops and Pubs
- The Red, White and Blue.
Built in the 1930s to replace a much older building nearby.
The old college, which has know been knocked down, is also a place that has history. It has old world war II shelters and tiles from the kitchen's. This is near the prison "featherstone 2" that is currently being built.
Political
Featherstone has a Parish Council with two wards.Brinsford Ward, two councillors.
Featherstone Ward, nine councillors.
The next Parish elections will be in 2011.
Featherstone is represented in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
by Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Gavin Williamson
Gavin Williamson
Gavin Alexander Williamson is an English Conservative Party politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election as Member of Parliament for South Staffordshire. Williamson is currently a ministerial aide at the Northern Ireland Office.-Early life and family:Williamson originally hails from...
. Conservative member for South Staffordshire.
Featherstone in 1851
The Duke of ClevelandDuke of Cleveland
Duke of Cleveland is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The dukedoms were named after Cleveland in northern England....
is lord of the manor of this small township of 550 acres and just 34 souls. This was once the residence of John Huntbach, the noted antiquary. The principal inhabitants are Joshua Price and Edward Tunycliffe, farmers, John Perry the lock manufacturer and Thomas Hill a vermin killer.