Hoar Cross is a small village and civil parish

Civil parish

In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...

 in the Borough of East Staffordshire

East Staffordshire

East Staffordshire is a local government district with borough status in Staffordshire in England. It has two main towns, Burton upon Trent, famous for its breweries, and Uttoxeter, for its racecourse....

, situated approximately seven miles west of Burton upon Trent

Burton upon Trent

Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....

.

Surrounded by agricultural land, Hoar Cross is in a notably affluent part of the East Staffordshire borough, nestled in the hills of the ancient Needwood Forest

Needwood Forest

Needwood Forest was a large area of ancient woodland in Staffordshire which was largely lost at the end of the 18th century.-History:Needwood Forest was a chase or royal forest given to Henry III's son Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster, in 1266...

 (now part of the National Forest

National Forest, England

The National Forest is one of England’s most ambitious environmental projects. Across parts of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, are being transformed, blending ancient woodland with new planting to create a new national forest...

).

The Anglican parish church

Parish church

A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....

 of Hoar Cross is Holy Angels' Church

The Church of the Holy Angels, Hoar Cross

The Church of the Holy Angels is an Anglican church in Hoar Cross, East Staffordshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:It was built by the pious Anglo-Catholic, Emily Charlotte Meynell Ingram in memory of Hugo Francis Meynell Ingram. The architects were George Frederick Bodley...

, in the Diocese of Lichfield

Diocese of Lichfield

The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...

. It was built by the pious Anglo-Catholic, Emily Charlotte Meynall-Ingram (sister of Charles Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax

Charles Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax

Charles Lindley Wood, 2nd Viscount Halifax was a British ecumenist who served as president of the English Church Union from 1868 to 1919, and from 1927 to 1934.-Early life and education:...

) as a memorial to her late husband Hugo Francis Meynell Ingram

Hugo Francis Meynell Ingram

Hugo Francis Meynall-Ingram was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament for Staffordshire West from 1868 to 1871....

. The church - an extremely elaborate edifice - was designed by George Frederick Bodley

George Frederick Bodley

George Frederick Bodley was an English architect working in the Gothic revival style.-Personal life:Bodley was the youngest son of William Hulme Bodley, M.D. of Edinburgh, physician at Hull Royal Infirmary, Kingston upon Hull, who in 1838 retired to his wife's home town, Brighton, Sussex, England....

 and Thomas Garner

Thomas Garner

Thomas Garner was one of the leading English Gothic revival architects of the Victorian era. His name is usually mentioned in relation to his almost 30-year partnership with George Frederick Bodley...

. One of its more famous features is a highly elaborate set of Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...

.

Local attractions

19th century mansion Hoar Cross Hall

Hoar Cross Hall

Hoar Cross Hall is a 19th century country mansion situated near the villages of Hoar Cross and Hamstall Ridware, Staffordshire which is operated as an hotel and health spa. It is a Grade II listed building....

, which is a hotel and health spa, is situated half a mile to the west of Hoar Cross village.