Category: Heritage and Culture

A Walk from Kidsgrove to Biddulph via Mow Cop

Mow Cop’s craggy high point is crowned with Mow Cop Castle, an artfully ruined folly, constructed on the instruction of Randle Wilbraham, the lord of nearby Rode Hall ,in 1754. Since 1937 the castle and the gritstone rocks it sits upon have been owned and managed by the National Trust. These days the site is a country park.

Beneath Mow Cop Castle, it is very evident where gritstone was quarried over the centuries. These days, the village appears to be a quietly affluent place, but historically, quarrying meant that it was once an industrial hub.

Kidsgrove – Biddulph

Mow Cop, the birthplace of the Primitive Methodist Church, and Biddulph Grange Gardens will help to make North Staffordshire’s Industrial Landscape a World Heritage Site.

Heritage Open Days 2025

As in previous years, several hundred industrial heritage sites will be opening their doors for free to the public, whilst dozens more events, from talks to walks, will look at the stories of industrial archaeology, history, and the people involved across England. With the ‘Railway 200’ anniversary celebrations for the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825 culminating at the end of September, it seems appropriate that there are over a hundred railway-related sites and events available this year.

Hundreds of Industrial Sites to Visit for Heritage Open Days 2025

Stoke-on-Trent’s Remaining Bottle Ovens

About half of Stoke-on-Trent’s remaining bottle ovens are featured in this short video.

A bottle oven or bottle kiln was a type of kiln used in the ceramic industry. For many years, Stoke-on-Trent’s bottle ovens and kilns symbolised our industrial heritage.

Some were built in the late 18th century. Many were built in the 19th century and a few in the 20th. They remind us that Stoke-on-Trent was once the centre of the world’s pottery industry.

Only 47 bottle ovens are left. They are all listed buildings. Longton has more than any town in the Potteries. Stoke-on-Trent’s remaining bottle ovens will help to make North Staffordshire’s Industrial Landscape a World Heritage Site.

New Grant Programme for Museums

The National Archives is launching a new national grant programme for libraries and museums.

The programme, called the ‘Spaces, Places and Belonging’ Community Hub, is being funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council.

It will support inclusive, community-led research projects throughout the United Kingdom. There will be three grant schemes.

They are: Skills Bursaries, Seed Corn Grants and Project Grants (for more details, click the names of the grants)

Applications for Seed Corn Grants and Skills Bursaries open on Monday, 15 September 2025.

A webinar to launch the grants is taking place on Wednesday, 17 September 2025.

To be part of the webinar, follow this link to Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spaces-places-and-belonging-community-hub-launch-webinar-tickets-1524899849499

How to apply for a grant of between £10,00 and £250,000 for your heritage project

Does your organization want to apply for a grant of between £10,000 and £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund? If you have an idea for a heritage project, this video tells you how to apply for Heritage Lottery Funding.

For more information, please visit The National Heritage Fund’s website at https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/fundi…

Two Film Shows at the Brampton Museum

Two Film Shows at the Brampton Museum in September, telling the story of North Staffordshire’s Pottery and Textile Industries.

There are two film shows at Newcastle-under-Lyme’s Brampton Museum in September.

The first film, The Pottery Industry – 20th Century to Today, will be shown on Sunday, 14 September at 2.00 pm. Admission Free.

The second film, Leek and the Story of Silk Twisting, will be shown on Thursday, 18 September at 2.30 pm. Admission £5. The film marks the start of an autumn programme called Textile Take Over at the Brampton Museum. The programme will include exhibitions, talks and events relating to North Staffordshire’s textile industry.

Biddulph Grange

One of the wonders of Victorian England, Biddulph Grange Garden is unique. The garden, created by James Bateman, is a major tourist attraction. It will help to make North Staffordshire’s Industrial Landscape a World Heritage Site.

Claybody Theatre to Stay at Spode Works

Stoke-on-Trent’s Claybody Theatre is going to stay at The Dipping House on the historic Spode Works site in Stoke-upon-Trent’s town centre.

The theatre has taken a 15-year lease on The Dipping House, which has been its home since 2023. Deborah McAndrew, the theatre’s co-artistic director, said:

We absolutely delighted to have secured the future of the Dipping House.

The Dipping House has proven to be a great space for us and we have already welcomed thousands of visitors who have come to watch our performances and participate in workshops and other events.

In going forward we will continue to collaborate with the City Council to develop the venue for theatre, arts and community events right in the heart of this incredible and historic site at Spode Works.

Researching Members of Your Family Who Served in the Armed Forces

The Staffordshire History Centre in Stafford has a collection of military records, personal letters, photographs and regimental histories. If your ancestor served in the armed forces, the centre could help you to trace them.

Military Family History

Friday NewsDesk

Friday NewsDesk is a new regular weekly post that will tell you about North Staffordshire Heritage’s activities.

Worldwide interest has been shown in Chatterley Whitfield’s future. The creation of a circular heritage tourist trail linking Burslem, Ford Green Hall, Chatterley Whitfield and Biddulph Grange with Mow Cop and Kidsgrove.

North Staffordshire Heritage is continuing to research Mercia and its legal system. This is a long-term project, which is expected to last for eight or nine months.

Our new series of posts about the Township of Tunstall starts in September, and we will give you more details at the end of August.

We hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable weekend. Take care and stay safe. We’ll see you again on Tuesday.

Image of Biddulph Grange Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)