Basford, Staffordshire
Encyclopedia
Basford is a bordering suburb
of both Newcastle-under-Lyme
and Stoke-on-Trent
in Staffordshire
, England
. It is split between Newcastle and Stoke along the A53 – Etruria Road. It lies on high ground between the town centre of Newcastle-under-Lyme
to its south west, and Stoke's Etruria
suburb (home to Festival Park commercial and retail development) to its east. Basford is also bordered to the north by May Bank
, to its south by Hartshill
, and to the west by The Brampton. Basford's lofty position meant it was being referred to as "Basford Hill" or "Basford Bank" by the 1830s, but previously (circa 1771) it had been called "Fowlea Bank" ("Fowlea Brook" runs through nearby Etruria). During the 1830s, the area featured typical industries; brick and tile yards. The suburb's busiest roads are Etruria Road, which features most of the area's businesses and the only local Post Office
, Basford Park Road which leads to May Bank High Street and Wolstanton
, and Shelton New Road which forms the southern boundary with Hartshill.
; The New Vic Theatre
, which was built in 1986 to replace Hartshill's Victoria Theatre.
Adjoining the New Vic Theatre one finds "Basford Villas", a development of four modern neo-Italianate villa residences, and which were inspired by The Villas in nearby Stoke-on-Trent.
. The building was built in 1769 as a mansion house for wealthy Derbyshire farmer Robert Emery. Both venues are located on Etruria Road.
To Haydon Street's east, there is a large tree edged playing field known as "Basford Open Space". The field was once the site of industrial works. Between Victoria Street and Shelton New Road, is the large children's play area nicknamed "The Grum". It features a very large slide from the top of the grassy banks that surround the play ground, as well as swings, skate ramps and a basketball court. In Newcastle, garden allotments are used by local residents running east of Basford Park Road (at the end of Elm Street and Sydney Street).
parish church of Basford is St. Mark's Church on Basford Park Road in the deanery of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
There is also a Church of the Seventh Day Advent on Victoria Street which was registered for worship in 1948.
Basford used to have a Wesleyan Methodist
chapel opposite St. Mark's Church on Basford Park Road. It had been built by 1902, however it was demolished in the early 2000s and the site now features apartments.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of both Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
and Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
in 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is split between Newcastle and Stoke along the A53 – Etruria Road. It lies on high ground between the town centre of Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, and is the principal town of the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is part of The Potteries Urban Area and North Staffordshire. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 73,944...
to its south west, and Stoke's Etruria
Etruria
Etruria—usually referred to in Greek and Latin source texts as Tyrrhenia—was a region of Central Italy, an area that covered part of what now are Tuscany, Latium, Emilia-Romagna, and Umbria. A particularly noteworthy work dealing with Etruscan locations is D. H...
suburb (home to Festival Park commercial and retail development) to its east. Basford is also bordered to the north by May Bank
May Bank
May Bank is a suburb of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England.The leader of Newcastle Borough Council Simon Tagg is a May Bank ward councillor....
, to its south by Hartshill
Hartshill, Staffordshire
Hartshill is a township within Stoke-upon-Trent in the city of Stoke-on-Trent in the English county of Staffordshire.Hartshill was developed by Herbert Minton as a dormitory suburb of Stoke. The ecclesiastical parish was created out of the parish of Stoke in 1842 when Holy Trinity church was built...
, and to the west by The Brampton. Basford's lofty position meant it was being referred to as "Basford Hill" or "Basford Bank" by the 1830s, but previously (circa 1771) it had been called "Fowlea Bank" ("Fowlea Brook" runs through nearby Etruria). During the 1830s, the area featured typical industries; brick and tile yards. The suburb's busiest roads are Etruria Road, which features most of the area's businesses and the only local Post Office
Post Office Ltd.
Post Office Ltd is a retail post office company in the United Kingdom that provides a wide range of products including postage stamps and banking to the public through its nationwide network of post office branches.-Structure:Post Office Ltd...
, Basford Park Road which leads to May Bank High Street and Wolstanton
Wolstanton
Wolstanton is a suburban area on the outskirts of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.-History:Historically, Wolstanton was a place in its own right. It is mentioned in the Domesday book where it is listed amongst the lands belonging to the King. The land consisted of work for 2 ploughs, 14...
, and Shelton New Road which forms the southern boundary with Hartshill.
Culture
Basford is home to Europe’s first purpose-built theatre in the roundTheatre in the round
Theatre-in-the-round or arena theatre is any theatre space in which the audience surrounds the stage area...
; The New Vic Theatre
New Vic Theatre
The New Vic Theatre is situated in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. It was purpose-built as a theatre in the round and opened in 1986, replacing a converted cinema, the Victoria Theatre, Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent.-History:...
, which was built in 1986 to replace Hartshill's Victoria Theatre.
Adjoining the New Vic Theatre one finds "Basford Villas", a development of four modern neo-Italianate villa residences, and which were inspired by The Villas in nearby Stoke-on-Trent.
Sport
Basford Lawn Tennis Club was founded in 1883 and was originally sited behind The Queen's Hotel but moved to its present location of West Avenue in 1926. The club has several nationally ranked players and hosted an exhibition match between Fred Perry and 'Bunny' Austin on 11 May 1936.Recreation
The suburb features one public house on the Newcastle side of the area; The Polite Vicar, formerly the Georgian mansion Stoneyfields House. It was opened as a pub in 1997. Basford is also home to long established "nightclub" The Queens in Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
. The building was built in 1769 as a mansion house for wealthy Derbyshire farmer Robert Emery. Both venues are located on Etruria Road.
To Haydon Street's east, there is a large tree edged playing field known as "Basford Open Space". The field was once the site of industrial works. Between Victoria Street and Shelton New Road, is the large children's play area nicknamed "The Grum". It features a very large slide from the top of the grassy banks that surround the play ground, as well as swings, skate ramps and a basketball court. In Newcastle, garden allotments are used by local residents running east of Basford Park Road (at the end of Elm Street and Sydney Street).
Religion
The Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church of Basford is St. Mark's Church on Basford Park Road in the deanery of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.
There is also a Church of the Seventh Day Advent on Victoria Street which was registered for worship in 1948.
Basford used to have a Wesleyan Methodist
Wesleyan Methodist Church (Great Britain)
The Wesleyan Methodist Church was the name used by the major Methodist movement in Great Britain following its split from the Church of England after the death of John Wesley and the appearance of parallel Methodist movements...
chapel opposite St. Mark's Church on Basford Park Road. It had been built by 1902, however it was demolished in the early 2000s and the site now features apartments.