Stanton, Staffordshire
Encyclopedia
Stanton is a small village situated at the eastern end of the Weaver Hills
, Staffordshire
, England (population 187 in 2000). The landscape around the village is mainly pastureland bounded by dry stone walls.
barrows on the hilltop of Thorswood. In 1953 a gold bracelet was found in the parish dated circa 800 BC, now housed in the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke on Trent. Stanton is listed in the Domesday Book
as Stantone, the name means “Stone Farmstead” which could refer to its building material, some prominent stone or its site on stony ground. The stone itself is an excellent building material, mainly sandstone, being used to build the majority of farmhouses and cottages in the village. During the 19th century the stone was much prized for its quality and was quarried on a large scale, with many men employed in the several quarries. Nearby Ilam
Hall was built largely of sandstone quarried in Stanton. Towards the Weaver Hills the stone turns to limestone, which is used to build walls on the Weaver Hills. Between 1729 and 1860 lead
and copper
was mined at Thorswood, with at least eight shafts sunk into the hilltop, some of which were 640 ft (200m) deep. Much of Stanton was part of the Earl of Shrewsbury
’s Alton Estate and the Duncombe Estate. St Mary’s church was built 1846 - 1847 by W.Evans of Manchester. Before 1846 the Stanton villagers had to travel over 2 miles (3.2 km) to St Peter's, Ellastone
for worship. Stanton is the birthplace of Gilbert Sheldon
, Archbishop of Canterbury
1663 – 1677.
Like many villages it has lost many of it facilities in recent years; its pub in 1946, its school in 1983 and its Post Office in 2001. The school was converted to a village hall that opened 1993, called the 'Gilbert Sheldon
Hall'. In 2004 Thorswood Nature Reserve was opened by Staffordshire
Wildlife Trust which consists of 150 acre (0.607029 km²) of flower rich unimproved pastures, upland heath
and meadows.
Weaver Hills
The Weaver Hills are a small range of hills in north Staffordshire, England.The Weaver Hills are about east of Stoke on Trent and about west of Ashbourne, Derbyshire, just south of the A52 road and north of the Churnet Valley...
, 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...
, England (population 187 in 2000). The landscape around the village is mainly pastureland bounded by dry stone walls.
History
Evidence of early human activity can be found at Stanton with three bronze ageBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
barrows on the hilltop of Thorswood. In 1953 a gold bracelet was found in the parish dated circa 800 BC, now housed in the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke on Trent. Stanton is listed 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...
as Stantone, the name means “Stone Farmstead” which could refer to its building material, some prominent stone or its site on stony ground. The stone itself is an excellent building material, mainly sandstone, being used to build the majority of farmhouses and cottages in the village. During the 19th century the stone was much prized for its quality and was quarried on a large scale, with many men employed in the several quarries. Nearby Ilam
Ilam, Staffordshire
Ilam is a village in the Staffordshire Peak District, lying on the River Manifold. This article describes some of the main features of the village and surroundings.- Ilam village :...
Hall was built largely of sandstone quarried in Stanton. Towards the Weaver Hills the stone turns to limestone, which is used to build walls on the Weaver Hills. Between 1729 and 1860 lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
was mined at Thorswood, with at least eight shafts sunk into the hilltop, some of which were 640 ft (200m) deep. Much of Stanton was part of the Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
’s Alton Estate and the Duncombe Estate. St Mary’s church was built 1846 - 1847 by W.Evans of Manchester. Before 1846 the Stanton villagers had to travel over 2 miles (3.2 km) to St Peter's, Ellastone
Ellastone
Ellastone is a village in central England on the Staffordshire side of the River Dove, between Uttoxeter and Ashbourne.-Location and history:...
for worship. Stanton is the birthplace of Gilbert Sheldon
Gilbert Sheldon
Gilbert Sheldon was an English Archbishop of Canterbury.-Early life:He was born in Stanton, Staffordshire in the parish of Ellastone, on 19 July 1598, the youngest son of Roger Sheldon; his father worked for Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury. He was educated at Trinity College, Oxford; he...
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
1663 – 1677.
Like many villages it has lost many of it facilities in recent years; its pub in 1946, its school in 1983 and its Post Office in 2001. The school was converted to a village hall that opened 1993, called the 'Gilbert Sheldon
Gilbert Sheldon
Gilbert Sheldon was an English Archbishop of Canterbury.-Early life:He was born in Stanton, Staffordshire in the parish of Ellastone, on 19 July 1598, the youngest son of Roger Sheldon; his father worked for Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury. He was educated at Trinity College, Oxford; he...
Hall'. In 2004 Thorswood Nature Reserve was opened by 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...
Wildlife Trust which consists of 150 acre (0.607029 km²) of flower rich unimproved pastures, upland heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
and meadows.