Fenton, Staffordshire
Encyclopedia
Fenton is one of the six towns of the Stoke-on-Trent
conurbation which were federated in 1910
. It is situated in the south-east of the city. Arnold Bennett
called his fictionalised version of Stoke on Trent the "Five Towns", and Fenton has been dubbed the town Arnold Bennett forgot.
s and private small-holdings were built there, alongside a lane running from the southern reaches of Hanley (by 1933 this lane was very busy and given the title of the A50
).
Around the 1750s, the land was commonly known as Fenton Vivian By the 1850s, the area around Duke Street and China Street had become populated during the rapid development of the Potteries
.
Potters
settled in Fenton in large houses alongside their pot-banks. Such houses include Great Fenton Hall, Heron Cottage and Grove House.
The two principal districts, Fenton Vivian and Fenton Culvert – each with their scattered communities, were brought together to make an urban district with its own board of guardians in 1894.
On 1 April 1910, the town was federated into the county borough of Stoke-on-Trent
. By 1925 the area was granted city status
.
Fenton was bombed by Zeppelin 'L 21'.
, A34 and the A50, and is just a short distance away from Longton
, Hanley and Newcastle
.
Fenton is still considered a sprawl of villages by many, and it includes Heron Cross, Mount Pleasant, Saxonfields and Pool Dole. Residential hot spots like Fenpark and Saxonfields have served to enhance the traditional properties expected in a town like Fenton.
, gym
and fitness centre. Inside the Fenton Manor Sports Complex is the biggest swimming pool in Staffordshire
and a 1,300-seater arena.
Fenton Park is also popular with families, and has its own football pitches, pavilions and playground.
The town’s library
lies on Baker Street, and is based within the Carnegie library
, the only such building in Stoke-on-Trent.
Fenton also has a magistrates court, which serves the whole city from within Fenton’s old town hall.
. Instead, amenities and shops are spread over a sizeable area.
Every Thursday a market is held, with about 25 stalls; this is based in City Road. Along Victoria Road, there are DIY shops, home furnishing and electrical stores, while at the retail park, also on Victoria Road, chains include Dunelm Mill and Curry’s.
.
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
conurbation which were federated in 1910
Federation of Stoke-on-Trent
The federation of Stoke-on-Trent refers to the events leading to the 1910 amalgamation of the six Potteries towns of Burslem, Tunstall, Stoke-upon-Trent, Hanley, Fenton and Longton into the single county borough of Stoke-on-Trent. An anomaly in the history of English local government, this was the...
. It is situated in the south-east of the city. Arnold Bennett
Arnold Bennett
- Early life :Bennett was born in a modest house in Hanley in the Potteries district of Staffordshire. Hanley is one of a conurbation of six towns which joined together at the beginning of the twentieth century as Stoke-on-Trent. Enoch Bennett, his father, qualified as a solicitor in 1876, and the...
called his fictionalised version of Stoke on Trent the "Five Towns", and Fenton has been dubbed the town Arnold Bennett forgot.
Administration
Fenton started to become populated as a group of farmFarm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s and private small-holdings were built there, alongside a lane running from the southern reaches of Hanley (by 1933 this lane was very busy and given the title of the A50
A50 road
The A50 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Warrington to Leicester; however, it was once a much longer route.-Current route:...
).
Around the 1750s, the land was commonly known as Fenton Vivian By the 1850s, the area around Duke Street and China Street had become populated during the rapid development of the Potteries
The Potteries Urban Area
The Potteries Urban Area is a conurbation in North Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England.It includes the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the towns of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove....
.
Potters
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
settled in Fenton in large houses alongside their pot-banks. Such houses include Great Fenton Hall, Heron Cottage and Grove House.
The two principal districts, Fenton Vivian and Fenton Culvert – each with their scattered communities, were brought together to make an urban district with its own board of guardians in 1894.
On 1 April 1910, the town was federated into the county borough of Stoke-on-Trent
Federation of Stoke-on-Trent
The federation of Stoke-on-Trent refers to the events leading to the 1910 amalgamation of the six Potteries towns of Burslem, Tunstall, Stoke-upon-Trent, Hanley, Fenton and Longton into the single county borough of Stoke-on-Trent. An anomaly in the history of English local government, this was the...
. By 1925 the area was granted city status
City status in the United Kingdom
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
.
Industry
Fenton has been the home of a number of potteries such as Coalport, and its architectural heritage includes listed bottle ovens.WW I
During the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Fenton was bombed by Zeppelin 'L 21'.
Geography
It lies in a key geographical location, within easy reach of the A500A500 road
The A500 is a major primary A road in Staffordshire and Cheshire, England. It is dual carriageway for most of its length and connects Nantwich, junctions 16 and 15 of the M6 motorway with the city of Stoke-on-Trent...
, A34 and the A50, and is just a short distance away from Longton
Longton, Staffordshire
Longton is a southern district of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, and is known locally as the "Neck End" of the city. Longton is one of the six towns of "the Potteries" which formed the City of Stoke-on-Trent in 1925.-History:...
, Hanley and Newcastle
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
.
Suburbs
Although Fenton has had its share of big industry, particularly from the Potteries trade, it has always been considered more of a residential area.Fenton is still considered a sprawl of villages by many, and it includes Heron Cross, Mount Pleasant, Saxonfields and Pool Dole. Residential hot spots like Fenpark and Saxonfields have served to enhance the traditional properties expected in a town like Fenton.
Places of interest
Fenton Manor boasts a swimming poolSwimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
and fitness centre. Inside the Fenton Manor Sports Complex is the biggest swimming pool in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and a 1,300-seater arena.
Fenton Park is also popular with families, and has its own football pitches, pavilions and playground.
The town’s library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
lies on Baker Street, and is based within the Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
, the only such building in Stoke-on-Trent.
Fenton also has a magistrates court, which serves the whole city from within Fenton’s old town hall.
Economy
Fenton differs from the other Potteries towns in that it doesn’t have a centreTown centre
The town centre is the term used to refer to the commercial or geographical centre or core area of a town.Town centres are traditionally associated with shopping or retail. They are also the centre of communications with major public transport hubs such as train or bus stations...
. Instead, amenities and shops are spread over a sizeable area.
Every Thursday a market is held, with about 25 stalls; this is based in City Road. Along Victoria Road, there are DIY shops, home furnishing and electrical stores, while at the retail park, also on Victoria Road, chains include Dunelm Mill and Curry’s.
Education
City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College has also been an integral part of the everyday life in Fenton for many years, but it is set to relocate away from Fenton and will be replaced by a multi-million pound leisure centreLeisure centre
A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
.
External links
- Use interactive maps to find historic artefacts and photographs of old Fenton at exploringthepotteries.org.uk
- Town profile at The Sentinel (local newspaper)