Staffordshire

Staffordshire, often called "Staffs," is a county in the West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Cheshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands, Worcestershire, and Shropshire. The largest city is Stoke-on-Trent, known for its long history of making pottery.

The county covers an area of 1,713 square kilometres and is home to around 1.2 million people. Other important towns include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford, Burton upon Trent, Tamworth, and Lichfield. Staffordshire is made up of a non-metropolitan county with eight districts, along with the unitary authority of Stoke-on-Trent.

The land in Staffordshire is hilly in the north and south. The southern part of the Pennines and the Peak District National Park lie in the northern area, while the Cannock Chase AONB and parts of the National Forest and Kinver Edge are in the south. The River Trent and its tributaries flow through most of the county, starting near Biddulph and moving towards Derbyshire.

Staffordshire has a rich history dating back to the Iron Age and Roman times. It was settled by the Angles in the sixth century, and the county was formed in the early tenth century when Stafford became the capital of Mercia. During the Industrial Revolution, the county grew quickly because of its coalfields, which helped power iron and automobile industries. Today, pottery remains one of Staffordshire's most famous products.

History

Main article: History of Staffordshire

Staffordshire has a rich history. Long ago, it was split into five areas. Over time, its borders changed many times. In 1974, some parts became part of the West Midlands area.

In 2009, something special was found near Lichfield: a huge collection of old gold items from the Anglo-Saxon period. These items are called The Staffordshire Hoard and they help us learn about life many years ago in the area known as the Kingdom of Mercia.

Education

Main article: List of schools in Staffordshire

Staffordshire has many schools where students can learn from a young age up to their older years. Some schools work outside the main system. Most schools for older students go up to age 16 or 18. There are also two special schools that start at age 13.

The county has two universities. Keele University is west of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and the University of Staffordshire has campuses in Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, London, Lichfield, and Shrewsbury.

Sport

Staffordshire has several football clubs. The main teams are Stoke City, Port Vale, and Burton Albion. Stoke City is one of the oldest football clubs. Port Vale also has a long history. Burton Albion is based in Burton upon Trent.

The county has many smaller football clubs and a cricket team, the Staffordshire County Cricket Club. Some famous cricket players from Staffordshire have played for the national team of England.

Geography

See also: Geology of Staffordshire

See also: List of reservoirs in Staffordshire

Staffordshire is a lovely county in England. In the north and south, it has rolling hills, with parts in the Peak District National Park and the Staffordshire Moorlands district. The middle part has gentle, rolling lands. There are places like Cannock Chase, an area of natural beauty, and parts of the National Forest and Kinver Edge.

Staffordshire is home to Flash, the highest village in Britain. It stands at 1,519 feet above sea level. The largest river is the River Trent, which flows through the county and meets other smaller rivers.

Green belt

Further information: West Midlands Green Belt, Stoke-on-Trent Green Belt, and Burton upon Trent and Swadlincote Green Belt

Staffordshire includes parts of three green belt areas. These help protect the countryside around big cities like Stoke-on-Trent and the West Midlands. The green belts were created starting in the 1950s.

Demographics

In the year 2001, there were 1,047,380 people living in Staffordshire. Most people, about 96%, were White British. A very small group, 0.6%, were Irish. About 2% of the people were from other groups, with British Pakistanis being the largest of these. Nearly 94% of the people were born in England. Some people were born in Scotland and Wales, making up about 1% of the total population.

Economy

Staffordshire has many well-known companies and industries. In Burton on Trent, you can find famous brewing companies like Coors Brewers and Marston's Brewery, as well as Marmite and Branston Pickle. Other important places include Fradley Park, where Newell Rubbermaid UK owns brands like Parker Pen and Paper Mate, and Sideway in Stoke-on-Trent, where Michelin makes tyres.

The area also has many pottery factories, such as Royal Doulton and Wedgwood, and food companies like Premier Foods, which makes Mr Kipling slices. Bet365, a large online sports company, has its main office in Stoke-on-Trent. The town of Burton upon Trent is famous for its beer, including brands like Carling.

This chart shows how much money Staffordshire has made over time.

Government

Westminster parliamentary

Staffordshire has twelve Members of Parliament who help make laws. Nine are from the Labour Party and three are from the Conservative Party.

County council

Staffordshire has a county council that helps take care of the area. It has 62 councillors who choose a smaller group to make big decisions.

Proposed local government reorganisation

Main article: Upcoming structural changes to local government in England § Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent

There are plans to change how local government works in Staffordshire. These plans talk about making new groups to help manage the area, and the current county council might change. People have been talking about these plans from February to March 2026.

Boundary changes

Main article: List of Staffordshire boundary changes

Areas

Further information: List of places in Staffordshire, List of Staffordshire settlements by population, and List of civil parishes in Staffordshire

Historic

Some places used to be in Staffordshire but are now in the West Midlands.

Religion

In the 2011 United Kingdom census, people in Staffordshire had many different beliefs and traditions.

The main church is Lichfield Cathedral in the city of Lichfield. It belongs to the Diocese of Lichfield, which covers most of Staffordshire and some nearby areas. Many churches in the county are part of this group.

Staffordshire is also part of the larger Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham.

A tradition called Primitive Methodism began here. It started with a man named Hugh Bourne from Stoke-on-Trent who held services outdoors. This later grew into many churches in the area.

There are also synagogues and mosques in Staffordshire. The largest synagogue is in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, and there are several mosques in places like Stoke-on-Trent and Burton-upon-Trent.

Transport

Canals

Staffordshire has many canals. These include the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, Caldon Canal, Coventry Canal, Shropshire Union Canal, Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, and Trent and Mersey Canal.

Railways

Staffordshire has several railways. The most important is the West Coast Main Line. This line connects London and Scotland, as well as Manchester and Liverpool.

Stafford railway station is a key stop on this line. It links to Birmingham New Street. Stoke-on-Trent railway station is the busiest station in the county. Trains go to many places such as Manchester, Birmingham, London, and beyond.

Roads

The county has good road connections. Major roads like the M6 and M6 Toll pass through. This makes it easy for people to travel to nearby cities.

Air

There are no large airports in Staffordshire. Nearby airports such as Birmingham, East Midlands, and Manchester serve the area. Smaller airports like Wolverhampton Airport and Tatenhill Airfield are also available for private planes.

Bus

Bus services in Staffordshire are mostly run by Arriva Midlands, D&G Bus, and First Potteries. National Express coaches connect towns and cities daily.

Media

Newspapers

Daily newspapers in Staffordshire include The Sentinel, which covers Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and the Staffordshire Moorlands. There is also the Burton Mail for Burton-upon-Trent, and the Express & Star with editions for Tamworth, Lichfield, Cannock Chase, and Stafford.

Radio

Local BBC radio stations for Staffordshire are BBC Radio Stoke for Mid and North Staffordshire, BBC Radio WM for the south, and BBC Radio Derby for East Staffordshire. Commercial stations include Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire and Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire for North and Mid Staffordshire, and Capital Mid-Counties for Burton, Lichfield, and Tamworth. Other stations covering parts of Staffordshire are Heart, Smooth, Hits Radio Birmingham for Lichfield and Tamworth, and Hits Radio Black Country & Shropshire for the Cannock area.

United Christian Broadcasters, based in Burslem and Hanchurch, has been broadcasting since 1987 and is now available nationally in the UK through DAB digital radio.

Staffordshire has several community radio stations. In North Staffordshire, these include Moorlands Radio in Leek, 6 Towns Radio in Burslem, The Hitmix in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and Cross Rhythms City Radio in Hanley. In Stafford, Vibe 1 broadcasts on 107.3 FM. The Cannock Chase District has Cannock Chase Radio on 89.6, 89.8, and 94.0 FM, and Tamworth has Radio Tamworth on 106.8 FM.

Television

Staffordshire is served by ITV Central and BBC West Midlands, both based in Birmingham. The far north of the county, near Biddulph, is covered by ITV Granada and BBC North West from MediaCityUK in Salford.

Notable people

Further information: Category:People from Staffordshire

Staffordshire has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Some of them include:

• George Anson, 1st Baron Anson (1697–1762), a famous admiral
• Philip Astley (1742–1814), known as the "father of the modern circus"
• Arnold Bennett (1867–1931), a well-known writer
• Vera Brittain (1893–1970), a writer and advocate for women's rights
• Clarice Cliff (1899–1972), a talented pottery designer
• Nick Hancock (born 1962), a popular TV presenter
• Lemmy (Kilmister), 1945–2015), a famous musician
• Stanley Matthews (1915–2000), a celebrated footballer
• R. J. Mitchell (1895–1937), an important aircraft designer
• Neil Morrissey (born 1962), a well-known actor
• Robbie Williams (born 1974), a famous singer

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have lived in Staffordshire.

Places of interest

See also: List of museums in Staffordshire and Listed buildings in Staffordshire

Staffordshire has many interesting places to visit. You can go to Alton Towers, a famous theme park, or visit Lichfield Cathedral, a beautiful old church. You can also enjoy nature at Cannock Chase and Peak District National Park. There are special museums like the Gladstone Pottery Museum and the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, where you can learn about the area's history. Other nice spots include Dovedale, a lovely valley, and Trentham Gardens, a big park with a monkey forest.