About Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a county in the West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, West Midlands and Worcestershire to the south, and Shropshire to the west. The largest city in Staffordshire is Stoke-on-Trent, which is administered separately from the rest of the county as an independent unitary authority.
The county town is Stafford, and other major towns include Cannock, Burton upon Trent, Tamworth and Lichfield. Staffordshire is landlocked and largely rural, with a population of just over 1 million. The highest point in the county is Cheeks Hill near Mow Cop in the north, while the lowest point is in the south near Kings Bromley where the River Trent leaves Staffordshire to enter Derbyshire.
The county is home to a number of notable landmarks including Stafford Castle, Shugborough Hall and Tamworth Castle. There are also a number of stately homes and country houses such as Ingestre Hall and Trentham Hall.
The economy of Staffordshire is largely based on agriculture, with livestock farming being the main activity. There are also a number of coal mines in the county, although these have declined in recent years. Tourism is also an important industry, with attractions such as Alton Towers and Drayton Manor bringing visitors to the area.
The county of Staffordshire has a long history dating back to the Anglo-Saxon period. The county town of Stafford was first mentioned in records in around 1003 when it was known as Stadfordscir. The name 'Staffordshire' is thought to derive from the word 'stæð', meaning 'landing place', indicating that it was once a major crossing point of the River Trent.
The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times and there are a number of Iron Age hill forts such as The Wrekin and Bury Knowle Hill. The Romans also had a presence in Staffordshire, with a number of forts and roads built during their occupation.
After the Romans left Britain, the area was settled by the Anglo-Saxons and became part of the Kingdom of Mercia. In 913, Mercia was conquered by the Danes and Staffordshire came under Danish rule. The area was then recaptured by the English in 1014 under King Ethelred II.
During the Norman period, Staffordshire was divided into a number of small counties known as 'hundreds'. These were eventually replaced by 'wapentakes', which were similar administrative units.
Staffordshire has been represented in Parliament since 1295 and has had two MPs since 1832 when reformers abolished rotten boroughs such as Lichfield City. The county has produced a number of notable MPs over the years including Sir Robert Peel, who served as Prime Minister from 1834-35 and 1841-46, and Sir Winston Churchill, who was MP for Daventry from 1924-45.
Today, Staffordshire is governed by Staffordshire County Council, which has its headquarters in Stafford. The council is responsible for a range of services including education, social care, transport and highways.
