Norton le Moors explained

Official Name:Norton le Moors
Static Image:St Bartholomew's Church - geograph.org.uk - 488691.jpg
Static Image Width:240px
Static Image Caption:St Bartholomew's Church, Norton le Moors
Country:England
Region:West Midlands
Constituency Westminster:Staffordshire
Unitary England:Stoke-on-Trent
Shire County:Staffordshire
Postcode Area:ST6
Os Grid Reference:SJ8907751462
Coordinates:53.06°N -2.163°W
Population:11,157
Population Ref:[1]

Norton le Moors is in the north-east of the city of Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire, England, mostly within the city boundary, with the rest in the Staffordshire Moorlands district.

Geography

The suburb borders Ball Green in the north, Stockton Brook in the east, Norton Green in the north-east, Milton in the south, and Bradeley in the west.[2]

History

In 1961 the parish had a population of 9000.[3] On 1 April 1965 the parish was abolished and merged with Bagnall, Brown Edge and Stoke-on-Trent.[4] Two years, later Norton Parish Council obtained permission to change its name to Brown Edge Parish Council.[5] Norton le Moors appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Nortone, meaning North town. At the time of the Domesday Survey the village was held by Robert de Stafford. During the Middle Ages the area developed due to its location on the road from Leek to Burslem, later turned turnpiked as the Leek to Newcastle road.

Population

In 2001, the population for the ward of Norton and Bradeley stood at 11,157.[6] However, the population for Norton le Moors itself has significantly changed over time. The UK national census revealed that in 1801 the total population for the parish was 1,480 and up until 1891 the population continued to increase. In 1901 the population of the parish had dropped from 9,919 in 1891 to 4,600, a drop of 5,319 people. The population started to increase again for the next 20 years until there was a decline in 1931. Since then the population has been steadily increasing.

Population data from 1801 to 1961[7]
Year Population 20 years earlier Population 10 years earlier Current Total Population
1801 1480
1811 1480 1761
1821 1761 1983
1831 1983 2407
1841 2407 2891
1851 2891 3327
1881 6902 8870
1891 8870 9919
1901 3692 4600
1911 4600 5299
1921 5299 5910
1931 3903 4462
1951 4462 6132
1961 6132 9000

Figures from the 2001 census show that the ward for Norton and Bradeley have 38.89% of economically active between the ages of 16–74 in full-time employment, 10.83% in part-time employment and 17.37% are retired.[8]

Occupations

Statistics from the 1881 census data shows that the vast majority of employment and industry was in various mineral substances, which mainly employed men, however women were also employed although in small numbers. Although occupation figures for women were mainly unknown in 1881, the top occupation was in the domestic service or offices sector.[9]

Church of St Bartholomew

Norton le Moors' most noticeable landmark is the Church of St Bartholomew, on Norton Lane. Built in 1737 (although significantly rebuilt in 1915), the brick and stone parish church was built by Richard Trubshaw. The church of 1737 forms the western end of the present building. The building was doubled in size when the eastern half was added in 1915.[10] To this day it remains as one of the oldest surviving buildings in the Staffordshire Potteries.[11] The church's location perched on top of a hill makes for expansive views out towards neighbouring areas such as Smallthorne and Burslem to the west as well as views to the Staffordshire Moorlands in the south and the Peak District beyond to the east making for an attractive location.

Norton Gateway Memorial

The "Gateway of Norton le Moors", on the corner of Ford Green Road and Knypersley Road, is dedicated to the men, women and children who worked in the mining and ceramics industries. It was opened by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Jean Edwards, on 29 September 2006.[12] Three coal wagons are placed nearby. The memorial is situated opposite the Norton Arms, where the inquiry into the explosion at Chatterley Whitfield Colliery in 1881 was held.[13]

The gateway bears a plaque in recognition of Walter Sylvester, the local inventor of a device for safely removing pit props in mines.

Education

Location in the north of Stoke-on-Trent Excel Academy has a catchment from the neighbourhoods of Norton-le-Moors, Sneyd Green, Milton, Baddeley Green and Ball Green. Established in 1963 to accommodate 450 pupils the school has enlarged and established over the years and now accommodates over 1200 pupils aged 11–16.[14]

Transport

Norton le Moors is accessible through a range of lanes such as Norton Lane, Endon Road and Knypersley Road. The main road that runs parallel to the village is Leek New Road (A53) which leads to Newcastle-under-Lyme and Leek.[15]

Sport

The local Football League team is Port Vale F.C. but a minority support their arch rivals Stoke City who got promoted to the Premier League in 2008 and have remained in the top division for the last few years.[16] The area is represented in non-league football by Norton United F.C., although the club's ground is in fact located in the neighbouring suburb of Smallthorne.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics. Office for National Statistics. 1 May 2012.
  2. Web site: Election Maps. 2 October 2021. Ordnance Survey.
  3. Web site: Population statistics Norton in the Moors Ch/CP through time. A Vision of Britain through Time. 23 February 2023.
  4. Web site: Langston. Brett. Leek Registration District. GENUKI. 1 May 2012.
  5. Web site: About Brown Edge. brownedge.com. 2 May 2012.
  6. Web site: Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics. Office for National Statistics. 1 May 2012.
  7. Web site: Population data from 1801–1961. Vision of Britain. 2 May 2012.
  8. Web site: Key Figures for 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics. Office for National Statistics. 2 May 2012.
  9. Web site: Occupation data classified into the 24 1881 'Orders', plus sex. Vision of Britain. 1 May 2012.
  10. Web site: Introduction. Norton Green Village Community. 2 May 2012.
  11. Web site: St.Bartholomews History. Norton Green Village Community. 1 May 2012.
  12. Information shown on the memorial.
  13. https://www.aditnow.co.uk/Photo/Norton-Gateway-Memorial_51091/ "Norton Gateway Memorial"
  14. Web site: Holden Lane High School. Harrow Council. 1 May 2012.
  15. Web site: Norton le Moors. Google Maps. 2 May 2012.
  16. Web site: 2000–2009 The Decade of Success. Stoke City FC. 2 May 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120314083810/http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/History/0,,10310~401616,00.html. 14 March 2012.