Stafford Walk: Town Centre【4K】

Located in the county of Staffordshire, and around 25 miles north, and slightly west, of Birmingham, is the town of Stafford.

The name Stafford is derived from Old English 'staithe' and 'ford', meaning 'shallow river crossing at the landing place'. The area is believed to have been predominantly marshland around the time of the settlement's founding in circa 700 AD by a Mercian saint named Bertelin.

In 913 Stafford was made a 'burh' by Æthelflæd, queen of Mercia and sister to Edward the Elder, king of Wessex - both of whom were daughter and son, respectively, of Alfred the Great. Alfred began the process of fortifying settlements to safeguard against Viking attacks. Æthelflæd continued this process which culminated in the overthrow of the Five Boroughs of the Danelaw (Derby, Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln and Stamford), thus eradicating the Viking threat for several decades.

After the Norman Conquest, a castle was built in Stafford in the late 11th century. In 1206 a market charter was granted to Stafford by King John. From the Medieval era it thrived as a centre for wool production. Its wealth continued into the Tudor era that followed, punctuated by the building of the Ancient High House, which was completed in 1595. This was built by the Dorringtons - a family of wealthy cloth merchants. The building is the tallest timber-framed town house standing in England today, and serves as a museum.

In September 1642 the Ancient High House was visited by King Charles I and his nephew Prince Rupert of the Rhine, one month after Charles raised the Royal Standard in Nottingham, effectively marking the beginning of the English Civil War. Stafford fell into Parliamentarian hands the following year, and the castle was destroyed in order to prevent its future use by Royalists.

Other notable works of architecture in Stafford town centre include its two Medieval churches: St Chad's Church and St Mary's Church, Noell's Almshouses dating from 1660 and Shire Hall, completed in 1798 in the Neoclassical style. Situated on Market Square, Shire Hall was originally a courthouse, but today operates as a business centre with offices to rent. A number of former coaching inns are also present in the town, including The Swan Hotel, which was visited by Charles Dickens in 1852 during a tour of the Midlands. It is believed to have formed part of his inspiration for the novel Bleak House.

In 1837 the railway arrived in Stafford, courtesy of the Grand Junction Railway. This was rebuilt on three different occasions. Today it is situated on the West Coast Main Line running between London Euston to the south and Glasgow Central/Edinburgh Waverley to the north. It is also part of the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line with direct services to Birmingham taking around 35 to 55 minutes, depending on stops.

Famous people from Stafford include actor Neil Morrissey and comedian Dave Gorman. In 1967 the Climax Blues Band formed in Stafford.

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Filmed: 21st January 2023 (yes, they were THAT late taking down the Christmas decorations!)

Link to the walk on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/imwZCCH2fgELhsyK7

Filmed on a Sony FDR-AX700 with a Zhiyun Crane 2 and a Sony ECM-XYST1M Stereo Microphone.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 River Sow
1:16 Bridge Street
2:11 Greengate Street
3:45 St Chad's Church
3:52 Greengate Street
4:08 The Ancient High House (completed 1595)
5:02 St Mary's Place
5:44 St Mary's Church
5:53 St Mary's Place
6:44 St Mary's Church
7:05 Foundations of St Bertelin's Chapel
7:19 St Mary's Church
7:27 St Mary's Place
8:02 Church Lane
9:02 Mill Street
9:12 Earl Street
9:39 Noell's Almshouses (built 1660)
10:01 Earl Street
10:24 Mill Street
12:20 Greengate Street
14:14 Martin Street
15:51 Eastgate Street
17:18 Market Street
18:04 Market Square
19:28 Gaolgate Street