Brown Edge, Staffordshire
Encyclopedia
Brown Edge is a village and civil parish
in the Staffordshire Moorlands
district of Staffordshire
, England
. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,406. The village is on the fringe of The Potteries Urban Area
, and is about 5 miles north-east of Hanley in Stoke-on-Trent
.
Brown Edge also annually practices the local tradition of Well Dressing. This is an ancient festival which has its roots in pagan worship and involves blessing the local wells or springs on which the villagers would once have depended for their water by decorating the location with flowers. In modern times this is done by pressing items such a flower, coffee beans and coloured gravel into clay covered boards which are left up for several days around the time of the summer festival. The neighbouring village of Endon also participates in this practice though it has fewer wells.
, Keith's Newsagents, Keith's Workshop) a local Post Office
, two mechanics and the local pubs, The Hollybush and The Rose & Crown. The largest of these, Keith's Supermarket attracts customers from around the local area and supplies a range of products from food to gardening and DIY equipment and can be found on the highstreet.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Staffordshire Moorlands
Staffordshire Moorlands
Staffordshire Moorlands is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. Its council, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, is based in Leek and is located between the city of Stoke-on-Trent and the Peak District National Park. The 2001 census recorded the population as...
district of 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...
. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,406. The village is on the fringe of The Potteries Urban Area
The Potteries Urban Area
The Potteries Urban Area is a conurbation in North Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England.It includes the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and the towns of Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove....
, and is about 5 miles north-east of Hanley in 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...
.
History
Brown Edge lies within the boundaries of the ancient Saxon kingdom of Mercia, however before 1800 the village consisted of no more than several farm cottages, some of which survive today. Throughout the 19th century, the village remained largely untouched by the pottery and mining industries of Stoke-on-Trent and it was not until only around 1950 when the villagers began working in local mines such as Chatterly Whitfield.Brown Edge also annually practices the local tradition of Well Dressing. This is an ancient festival which has its roots in pagan worship and involves blessing the local wells or springs on which the villagers would once have depended for their water by decorating the location with flowers. In modern times this is done by pressing items such a flower, coffee beans and coloured gravel into clay covered boards which are left up for several days around the time of the summer festival. The neighbouring village of Endon also participates in this practice though it has fewer wells.
Businesses
Brown Edge has several small businesses including a family owned group of stores (Keith's SupermarketSupermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, Keith's Newsagents, Keith's Workshop) a local Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, two mechanics and the local pubs, The Hollybush and The Rose & Crown. The largest of these, Keith's Supermarket attracts customers from around the local area and supplies a range of products from food to gardening and DIY equipment and can be found on the highstreet.