Historic Staffordshire
Explore hidden histories, historic photos, and things you never knew about Staffordshire from the collections and archives of Historic England.
Discover Staffordshire's listed buildings and places
Introducing some of Staffordshire's most significant historic sites, curated from the National Heritage List for England.
Essex Bridge, Great Haywood
Colwich
Multi-span bridges are structures of two or more arches supported on piers.
Weston Park
Blymhill and Weston-under-Lizard
A landscape park and gardens laid out in part by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown from 1765, and with landscaping, planting and structures by James Paine and John Webb, all under the direction of...
Chatterley Whitfield Colliery
Stoke-on-Trent
The monument includes the standing, buried and earthwork remains of what is effectively the southern half of a mid-C19 to late-C20 colliery.
Hulton Abbey: a Cistercian monastery adjacent to Leek Roa…
Stoke-on-Trent
From the time of St Augustine's mission to re-establish Christianity in AD 597 to the reign of Henry VIII, monasticism formed an important facet of both religious and secular life in the...
Shugborough
Berkswich
Shugborough is a mid to late 18th-century landscape park featuring Chinese and Greek Revival architecture. Developed by Thomas Anson, it includes notable monuments and historical structures.
St Mary's Abbey and boundary walls
Colwich
A mid-C18 house, altered in the late 1820s/early 1830s and then from 1835 onwards for use as a priory and an abbey from 1928 onwards. Read the official list entry to find out more.
High Bridge (Bridge No.39) Shropshire Union Canal Main Line
Norbury
A canal bridge, erected in 1832-3 on the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, now the Shropshire Union Canal Main Line. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Stafford Castle and associated medieval settlement
Stafford
Motte and bailey castles are medieval fortifications introduced into Britain by the Normans.
Technical Institute and Public Library, Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
A Carnegie library and technical institute of 1903-4, designed by the borough surveyor to Brierley Hill, Lewis Harper and built by CA Horton. Read the official list entry to find out more.
St Dominic's Convent and Priory School and boundary walls
Stone
A convent and priory school of 1852-3 and 1856-8 by Charles Hansom and Joseph Hansom, extended 1861-3 by Gilbert Blount, for Mother Margaret Hallahan.
Great Barr Hall
Sandwell
An C18 landscape park associated with a country house; associated with Humphry Repton and John Nash and George Gilbert Scott, and possibly with William Shenstone.
Site of Rocester Abbey and part of Roman town
Rocester
Roman forts served as permanent bases for auxiliary units of the Roman Army.
The Butter Cross, 650m west of Lowerhouse Farm
Cheddleton
A standing cross is a free standing upright structure, usually of stone, mostly erected during the medieval period (mid 10th to mid 16th centuries AD).
Roman camps at Greensforge
Kinver
Roman camps are rectangular or sub-rectangular enclosures which were constructed and used by Roman soldiers either when out on campaign or as practice camps.
Tamworth Castle
Tamworth
Tamworth Castle, the earthwork and buried remains of a late-C11 motte and bailey castle, the standing remains of a late-C12 shell keep castle, later altered and extended as an aristocratic...
Great Barr Hall and Chapel
Pheasey
A country house which was converted to use as a hospital in the early C20.
Rifle Range Target Wall at Burton Meadows
Burton
Former rifle range target wall, built circa 1914. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Chartley Castle, Chartley Old Hall and associated water c…
Stowe-by-Chartley
Motte and bailey castles are medieval fortifications introduced into widespread use in Britain by the Normans.
Essex Bridge
Colwich
Essex Bridge, a 16th-century stone bridge with 14 spans, is notable for its original design, featuring rounded arches and 4-foot-wide passages.
World War I instruction model of a trench system, and ass…
Brindley Heath
Life size and scale model trench systems were constructed at or near army camps throughout Britain during World War I to teach soliders the rudiments of trench warfare.
Longton Central Methodist Hall
Stoke-on-Trent
Methodist Central Hall, a 1933 adaption of an 1842 chapel. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Wychnor deserted medieval village, moated site, moated en…
Wychnor
The village, comprising a small group of houses, gardens, yards, streets, paddocks, often with a green, a manor and a church, and with a community devoted primarily to agriculture, was a...
Prince Rupert's Mound: a 17th century fieldwork
Lichfield
English Civil War fieldworks are earthworks which were raised during military operations between 1642 and 1645 to provide temporary protection for infantry or to act as gun emplacements.
Remains of Trentham Hall: The Grand Entrance and conserva…
Swynnerton
The remains of the grand entrance and the conservatory at Trentham Hall, designed by the architect Sir Charles Barry in the Italianate style, and built between 1833 and 1842 by James...
Hartshill Cemetery (Also Known as Stoke Cemetery)
Stoke-on-Trent
A late-C19 municipal cemetery laid out to the design of Edward Milner & Son, with buildings by Charles Lynam. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Trentham Gardens
Swynnerton
A landscaped park with C16 origins, that includes remaining elements of the work in the mid-C18 by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown and the mid-C19 Italianate pleasure grounds by Sir Charles...
Berry Ring hillfort
Bradley
Large univallate hillforts are defined as fortified enclosures of varying shape, ranging in size between 1ha and 10ha, located on hilltops and surrounded by a single boundary comprising...
Alton Towers
Denstone
Alton Towers, an early 19th-century valley garden, transformed by Charles Talbot. It's renowned for its varied structures and public accessibility since 1839, becoming a major attraction.
Saucer barrow on Spring Hill
Berkswich
Saucer barrows are funerary monuments of the Early Bronze Age, most examples dating to between 1800 and l200 BC.
Sutherland Monument, Trentham Gardens
Swynnerton
Monument to the 1st Duke of Sutherland, installed at Trentham Gardens in 1836.
Spode Pottery: Buildings Around North West Courtyard, Inc…
Stoke-on-Trent
The buildings stand in the north-western corner of the Spode factory site.
Creswell Chapel
Creswell
A medieval chapel is a building, usually rectangular, containing a range of furnishings and fittings appropriate for Christian worship in the pre-Reformation period.
Red Lion
Rugeley
House, early C17, converted to a pub in the C19. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Longton Town Hall and Market
Stoke-on-Trent
Town hall, 1844, extended in 1863 and a market hall added to the rear; alterations in 1913, and in the late C20 and C21. Read the official list entry to find out more.
Moated site at Moat House Farm
Acton Trussell and Bednall
Around 6,000 moated sites are known in England.
Roman site, Letocetum
Wall
Letocetum represents the evolution of a site from the early military campaigns to the development of a significant staging post and Romano-British small town.
Biddulph Grange
Biddulph
James and Maria Bateman transformed Biddulph Grange into exotic gardens featuring diverse themes like China and Egypt, embodying 19th-century interests in horticulture and design.
Historic Staffordshire through time
The National Heritage List for England contains hundreds of details about buildings and places, including the periods in which they were built and the uses they've had over the years. Explore how your local area has changed through time.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanantly altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Prehistoric Before AD 43
Prehistory covers a million years of human occupation before the Roman invasion and the introduction of writing. Primarily hunter-gatherers of several human species including Neanderthals, the peoples moved across Europe, hunting animals, exchanging ideas and developing complex culture and belief systems including burial rites and astronomical understanding, as at Stonehenge for example.
Roman AD 43 to AD 410
Britain was invaded by four legions of the Roman army in AD 43, who relatively rapidly conquered England from landing points in Kent. Parts of Wales and Scotland soon followed.
Roman culture brought urbanism, monumental buildings, wide-ranging religious beliefs, writing, and strong social hierarchy. The Roman administrative system was withdrawn in AD 410.
Early medieval AD 410 to AD 1066
This period, often associated in England with Anglo-Saxons and Vikings, saw a reduction in urban living from the Roman period and increased migration from northern Europe.
Traces of this period can be found in cemeteries, particularly in artefacts and in some of the very early churches, as this period also saw the growth of Christianity in Britain.
Medieval AD 1066 to AD 1540
This period, sometimes known as the Middle Ages, began with the Norman invasion in AD 1066. It saw a significant rise in military and defensive buildings such as castles and earthworks, as well as religious houses dominating a largely agricultural landscape.
The monarchy and Church dominated the period, which also saw the break with the Roman Church and the English reformation.
Post medieval AD 1540 to AD 1901
The Post-Medieval period brought seismic changes to life in England, with religious reformation leading to the democratization of worship and the destruction of hundreds of religious houses.
In parallel, there was a huge expansion of scientific study and enlightenment that permanantly altered the nation's social structure and landscape. Industrialization and mass production lead to wider global trade, emigration, and immigration.
20th century AD 1901 to AD 2000
The 20th century saw an incredible expansion of England's transport networks, with suburban growth shadowing rapid infrastructural expansion. The establishment of state schools, hospitals, and modern technical colleges, with new architectural styles, radically changed the appearance of towns and cities.
Two catastrophic world wars and the 1918 pandemic also brought unprecedented change, altering England's built environment and social structures forever.
Aerial photos of Staffordshire
Historic aerial photography shows the growth and changes in England's urban and rural landscapes, revealing secrets that are impossible to see from the ground.
Stourton
Stourton Castle, Stourton, 1949
Stourton
Stourton Castle, Stourton, 1949
Leek
The War Memorial and environs, Leek, 1930
Leek
Ashbourne Road and the town, Leek, 1934
Stoke-On-Trent
High Street and the area around the Old Town Hall, Stoke-on-Trent, 1937
Stoke-On-Trent
The W.T. Copeland & Sons Ltd Spode Works and environs, Stoke-on-Trent, 1952
Swythamley Hall
Swythamley Hall and grounds, Swythamley Hall, 1939
Swythamley Hall
Swythamley Hall and grounds, Swythamley Hall, 1939
Stoke-On-Trent
The Campbell Tile Works, Crescent Potteries and environs, Stoke-on-Trent, 1927
Stoke-On-Trent
London Road and the Campbell Tile Works, Stoke-on-Trent, 1952
Historic England Archive images of Staffordshire
The Historic England Archive holds and cares for over 15 million images, from the 1850s to the present day. Discover stunning images of Staffordshire's past.
Charles George Harper Collection
Wolverhampton, City Of Wolverhampton
Date created: 1800 - 1900
Pencil drawing showing the Anglo Saxon cross shaft in the churchyard of St Peter's Collegiate Church, by an unknown artist
Eileen ‘Dusty’ Deste Collection
Burton Upon Trent, East Staffordshire, Staffordshire
Date created: 1965 - 1968
The upper section and goat shaped 'sail' on the cowl of Goat Maltings at Yeomans, Cherry & Curtis Ltd., Clarence Street Brewery
Eric de Mare
Burton Upon Trent, East Staffordshire, Staffordshire
Date created: 1945 - 1980
Exterior elevation of LMS Railway Bonded Stores and Grain Warehouse in Burton upon Trent.
John Gay Collection: Modern Architects
Hanley, City Of Stoke-On-Trent, City Of Stoke-On-Trent
Date created: Apr 1982
Photograph of an architects scale model of the proposed market forecourt at the Hanley centre in the Market Square, Stoke on Trent
John Gay Collection: Rural Life
Lichfield, Staffordshire
Date created: 1950 - 1953
Portrait of an elderly man wearing a flat cap, in attendance at an auction of the Wall Herd of pedigree Large White pigs
John Gay Collection: Counties
Lichfield, Staffordshire
Date created: 1958
View on a misty day from the causeway bridge on Bird Street towards the three spires of Lichfield Cathedral in the distance
John Laing Collection
Smethwick, Sandwell
Date created: Aug 1964
A photographic reproduction of a design drawing of Bearwood House, a multi-storey block of 'Sectra' flats in Smethwick
London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company
East Staffordshire, Staffordshire
Date created: 1661
A photograph of a mid-17th century engraving of Burton Abbey, with an achievement of arms and latin text above the image
Alfred Newton and Sons
Lichfield, Staffordshire
Date created: 1896 - 1920
EXTERIOR SHOWING WEST FRONT
Nigel Temple Collection of Postcards of Parks and Gardens
Dudley
Date created: 1920 - 1937
GENERAL VIEW OF ROSE BORDERS
Margaret Tomlinson Collection
Chillington Park, South Staffordshire, Staffordshire
Date created: 1957 - 1959
A view from the north of the Palladian facade of White House, showing the farmhouse and outer wings linked by low Tuscan colonnades
Walter Scott
Lichfield, Staffordshire
Date created: 1930 - 1945
A general view looking down Market Street showing parked cars, Lichfield
Stories about heritage in Staffordshire
Historic England publishes news, blogs, videos and podcasts celebrating England's heritage. Discover the stories we have about Staffordshire.
Boudica’s Revolt Against Rome
Mentions Staffordshire
Discover the life of Boudica, or Boadicea, the Warrior Queen and leader of the Iceni tribe
10 Places with Coal Mining History
Mentions Staffordshire, Chatterley Whitfield Colliery
Evidence of England’s coal mining heritage can still be found nationwide.
The History of Brick Building in England
Mentions Staffordshire
Discover 7 examples of how brick building in England has changed over the centuries.
Women Architects Who Helped Shape England
Mentions Staffordshire, Weston Hall and Service Wings to North and East, Church of St Andrew
Women have always influenced domestic design but it wasn’t until 1898 that the first female architect was admitted to the Royal Institute of British...
12 Lost English Football Grounds
Mentions Staffordshire
Take a trip back in time to grounds once home to clubs of the English football leagues.
8 of England’s Most Beautiful Cathedrals to Visit
Mentions Staffordshire, Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Chad
From Norman to Modernist, there are many different architectural styles on show in England’s cathedrals.
12 of the Oldest Tea Rooms in England
Mentions Staffordshire, Whitmore Hall Lodge
Tea rooms first appeared in England in the 18th century, and the first tea room, Twinings, has stood in the same spot for over 300 years.
Explore England’s Hidden Past from the Air
Mentions Staffordshire
Many archaeological sites are only visible from the air with little or no traces on the ground.
Grant Funding For Great Yarmouth Winter Gardens
Mentions Staffordshire
Historic England has awarded a £500,000 grant towards the restoration of the Grade II* listed Winter Gardens in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Funding for Young People to Explore and Celebrate Their Local History
Mentions Staffordshire
Historic England has announced new funding for 21 creative youth-led place-marking projects across England.
Praise for Restoration of Former Sanderson Wallpaper Factory
Mentions Staffordshire
Historic England has praised the restoration of Voysey House in Chiswick, as Sanderson returns to their former wallpaper factory building.
Heritage at Risk in the Midlands Revealed
Mentions Chetwynd Bridge, Holbeche House, Longton Central Methodist Hall
41 sites have been saved and 32 sites added to the Heritage at Risk Register 2023 in the Midlands.
Emigrant Ship en Route From London to New Zealand With Exceptionally Rare Ceramics on Board Now Protected
Mentions Staffordshire
The 'Josephine Willis' shipwreck and its cargo will add to our knowledge of England’s export pottery industry in the 19th century.
Funding for 57 New Projects Across England That Will Tell the Untold Stories of Our Nation’s Working-Class Heritage
Mentions Staffordshire
New Everyday Heritage Grants will fund community-led projects that aim to further the nation’s collective understanding of the past.
Historic England Launches Interactive Story Map for Schools to Celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee
Mentions Pottery Works Formerly Occupied By Dudson's Limited
A resource to educate children about their local history, highlighting important sites that the Queen has visited throughout her 70-year reign.
New Virtual Aerial Map Allows Everyone to Explore England's Archaeology from the Air
Mentions Staffordshire
Discover archaeology local to you with our Aerial Mapping Explorer.
Explore your social history through photos
Over 10,000 images from the Historic England Archive have been specially selected and re-captioned for teachers, students, and anyone who wants to learn more about heritage in their local area.
Wulfruna Memorial, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Wulfruna Memorial, dated 1901. The inscription reads IN/ REMEMBRANCE OF/ THE LADY WULFRUNA/ AD 994/ STAVELY HILL P.G.,K.G./ AD 1901.
Wulfruna Memorial, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Wooton Lodge, Ramshorn, Staffordshire
Period: Stuart (1603 - 1713)
This was built in the early 17th century with later alterations and additions. It was built for Sir Richard Fleetwood, the 3rd Baronet of Calwich.
Wooton Lodge, Ramshorn, Staffordshire
Wolverhampton Synagogue, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
The front elevation of the synagogue, built in 1903-4 by F J Beck. It closed in 1999 and is being converted to a new use.
Wolverhampton Synagogue, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Wolverhampton Grammar School, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
Wolverhampton Grammar School dates back to 1515 when the school was founded by Stephen Jenys of the Merchant Taylors' Guild in the town centre.
Wolverhampton Grammar School, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
White Hart, Stone Cross, Penkridge, Staffordshire
Period: Victorian (1837 - 1901)
The White Hart viewed from Stone Cross. There is a pony and trap outside. It was originally a house and dates from the early 17th century.
White Hart, Stone Cross, Penkridge, Staffordshire
Wetley Abbey, Cellarhead Road, Cheddleton, Staffordshire
Period: Georgian (1714 - 1836)
This is a late 1820s home. The house has been built in a Tudor/Gothic style. Despite the name, the building has no religious connection.
Wetley Abbey, Cellarhead Road, Cheddleton, Staffordshire
Weston Park, Blymhill, Staffordshire
Period: Stuart (1603 - 1713)
The present house was built in the 1650s by Elizabeth Mytton who married Thomas Wilbraham.
Weston Park, Blymhill, Staffordshire
West Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Period: Edwardian (1902 - 1913)
General view showing people beside the lake.
Visit grant-aided places near you
These places and buildings have been helped by Historic England's financial grants. Find local heritage in your neighbourhood that you never knew existed! Please note that opening times may vary.
Ford Green Hall, Ford Green Road
A timber-framed 17th-century farmhouse with access to all rooms, furnished with a collection of textiles, ceramics, and furniture.
Middleport Pottery, Port Street, Burslem, Stoke on Trent
Middleport Pottery Works, a Grade II* listed site from 1888-9, features a large Burgundy bottle oven, operational as part of a working factory.
Discover more Heritage nearby
Have you got another local place, or somewhere you're planning to visit? Take a look at these other places nearby
Cannock Chase
Local Authority District
Stoke-on-Trent
Local Authority District
Wolverhampton
Local Authority District