When you travel from the south to north of Staffordshire you feel of leaving the Midlands and moving to northwestern North in England.
The landscape changes from dairy farms to wild sandstone moors of Peak District.
The two cities of Staffordshire, Stoke and Lichfield couldn’t be more distinct: Stoke is industrial and earthy and has earned its reputation for its craftsmanship. Lichfield is culturally rich and historic and is the home for Samuel Johnson. If you have teens within your family, the theme parks of Alton Towers and Drayton Manor are two of the UK’s most loved days out and beer lovers can sip to generations of beer-making experience at Burton or Stone.
Let’s look at the best destinations to visit throughout Staffordshire:
1. Lichfield
It is possible to argue that Lichfield to be among England’s most stunning towns.
There are many streets that are of exquisite 18th-century architecture. Also, there is the stunning Lichfield Cathedral, built in the 13th century, is the only medieval cathedral in the world that has three spires. Lichfield is a brainy city in addition to beauty, because two of the 18th century’s major cultural figures are linked to the city.
The author Samuel Johnson was born here in 1709 and is widely regarded as one of Britain’s most influential men of letters.
Johnson’s birthplace is now preserved as a museum. the house for the mathematician Erasmus Darwin (grandfather of Charles) is an enthralling museum set in a gorgeous estate.
2. Stoke-on-Trent
A stark contrast in contrast to Lichfield, Stoke, in the north of the county has a rougher look, but isn’t any less appealing If you are aware of what you’re looking.
Stoke is actually an amalgamation of six distinct towns that are connected, but its primary source of recognition for centuries was the pottery industry.
It has waned after it was the Second World War, but companies like Royal Doulton and Wedgwood are still based in the United States. The Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton is a functional coal-fired potter and features the famous bottle kilns which are used to decorate the surrounding landscape.
Explore explore Potteries Museum as well as the Art Gallery It is a stunning display of pottery from the region, but also includes the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon metalwork to be discovered.
3. Stafford
The town of the county is a tiny but charming town bursting with historical structures as well as exquisite country houses such as Shugborough Estate and Sandon Hall only a few minutes from the center.
On the pedestrianized Greengate Street, Stafford’s main shopping route be sure to take in The Ancient High House. The impressive four-storey cantilevered home was built in 1594 . the marks of carpenters etched into the timbers suggest that they once belonged to an even earlier house.
Charles I stayed at this exact property in 1643 just after the outbreak in the Civil War.
There was a siege in Stafford Castle in this war and when it was taken over by Parliamentarian hands , it was dragged down.
4. Tamworth
The second-largest town in Staffordshire has existed for a long time. It it was once the capital city of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Mercia that ruled the majority of central England from the 8th century onwards.
The magnificent Tamworth Castle, perched above the confluence of the Anker and Tame rivers, has Anglo-Saxon roots, having been secured during the reign of Queen AEthelflaed, the Mercian King AEthelflaed and later restored by Normans. Today, it’s among the largest and most complete castles of motte and bailley in England.
Tamworth’s old town is full with beautiful period homes which are now home to independent stores.
5. Peak District
Staffordshire has the southwestern part of the National Park, and the area is called”the Staffordshire Moorlands.
There are a myriad of unique places to see beauty and an endless array of bridleways, footpaths and cycling tracks that wind through the bleak Moors. Rudyard Lake is an 18th-century reservoir that was constructed to provide water to the Caldon Canal.
The Victorians transformed it into a resort and, thanks to its wooded hillsides , and a miniature steam train It’s still a huge attraction today . The novelist Rudyard Kipling, whose parents were frequent guests, was named after Rudyard Lake.
6. Leek
Leek is the last town in Staffordshire prior to it is absorbed by the Peak District, Leek is an attractive tourist destination, welcoming visitors who are attracted by the enchanting mix of green nature and wild moorland everywhere. The town itself was a center for the textile and silk industries.
They also gave Leek an array of elegant Georgian and Victorian structures, best observed at The Market Place which is a delight to stroll through for a few minutes.
One of Leek’s largest structures is the Nicholson Institute, and inside there is a museum among others an array of embroideries that brought Leek’s fame in the 19th century.
For stunning rocky scenery, there’s the Roaches, an sandstone ridge that is located over the Tittesworth Reservoir, as well as The Manifold Way on the route of an old railway line that passes the limestone formations.
7. Cheadle
Cheadle was a town that relied on coal for centuries, Cheadle switched to high-tech manufacturing in the 90s However, these factories interfere with the charming town centre.
The main attraction in Cheadle can be found in St. Giles The Catholic Church, which is one of the best examples of 19th-century gothic Revival architecture.
It was created in the style of Augustus Pugin, who also was the designer of the London Houses of Parliament as well. He also took the responsibility for the smallest of details in decoration that give this structure the coherence it is difficult to find in other places.
The location is on the edge of Cheadle, which is located on the edge of Peak District Cheadle is in an area that is ideal for walking, and the older Foxfield Steam Railway also courses through the region . It is an amazing opportunity to see the beautiful countryside of the northeastern region of Staffordshire.
8. Burton upon Trent
In the early 1700s Burton’s presence on the river navigable Trent and the growing canal network made it one of the biggest Breweries.
Burton’s ales were shortly distributed throughout the nation as well also shipped to Baltic states.
The National Brewery Centre is set in the former brewery that produced Bass ale. They will also offer fascinating insight about how the craft beer industry developed in this region of England. It is also stables that have the shire horse, which is known due to their “feathered legs” and bred to move barrels of ale.
On the northern side of the town is a thing you’ll not see very often: A fully renovated Victorian city utility.
In this instance, it is there is the claymills pumping Station was once pumping wastewater with the aid of four engine beam pumps.
9. Newcastle-under-Lyme
There’s been a market within Newcastle since 1173. In the 21st century, it’s prospering. It’s safe to say that the town wouldn’t be as vibrant without it, considering that the market on the High Street is open every day of the week.
The best times to go to the market are Wednesdays, Mondays and Fridays, and Saturdays. general market sells the likes of cheese, meat fruits and vegetables , as in addition, hot food items such as freshly baked pie.
There are acres of well-maintained green space in the city and Newcastle is recognized in people in the Britain in Bloom campaign for its lush green spaces and roundabouts. Fans of drama should know what’s going on this weekend at The New Vic Theatre, which was the first to be built specifically for Theatre in the Round (a stage completely surrounded in seats) when it was opened in 1986.
10. Trentham
The southern part of Stoke the village of Trentham is most well-known because of Trentham Estate. Trentham Estate, which was the home of a stunning hall that was in use until the 20th century, when it was demolished.
The clock tower of the hall as well as the church as well as the sculpture gallery have survived and give an impression of the grandeur in the grounds.
The Italianate gardens that back to the River Trent are still here also, and are gorgeous with elegant lawns and stone-based vases, and balustrades. Another attraction that is wildly popular is Trentham Monkey Forest, an amazing animal attraction where around 140 Barbary macaques can be found in semi-freedom among the trees just above your head.
