Uttoxeter


Uttoxeter is a market town in Staffordshire, England. It is from Burton-on-Trent, from Stafford, from Stoke-on-Trent and from Derby. It is near the Derbyshire border. The population was 13,089 at the 2011 Census.

History

Uttoxeter's name has had at least 79 spellings since it was mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Wotocheshede": it probably came from Anglo-Saxon Wuttuceshǣddre, meaning "Wuttuc's homestead on the heath". Some historians point to pre-Roman settlement here and Bronze Age axes have been discovered in the town. These are now on display in the Potteries Museum in Stoke-on-Trent. It is possible that Uttoxeter had some form of Roman activity due to its strategic position on the River Dove and closeness to the large garrison forts at Rocester between 69 and 400 AD, and the recently discovered fort at Stramshall, though little corroborating archaeology has been found.
Uttoxeter saw the last major royalist surrender of the English Civil War, on 25 August 1648, when James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton surrendered to Parliamentarian General John Lambert.
Perhaps the most famous event to have occurred in Uttoxeter is the penance of Samuel Johnson. Johnson's father ran a bookstall on Uttoxeter market, and young Samuel once refused to help out on the stall. When Johnson was older, he stood in the rain as a penance for his failure to assist his father. This event is commemorated with the Johnson Memorial, which stands in the Market Place, in the town centre and there is also an area of town called Johnson Road, which commemorates him.
Mary Howitt, the Quaker writer of the poem "The Spider and the Fly", lived in Uttoxeter for a long period of her life. The town influenced some of her poems and novels, as well as fuelling her love of natural history, which also featured in her books. Howitt Crescent, a residential road in the town, was named after her. The house where she lived, Howitt Place, is still standing in Balance Street.
Thomas Fradgley, Uttoxeter's own architect designed the Town Hall, the Johnson Memorial, St Michael's Church, Stramshall, St Lawrence Church, Bramshall, St Mary's Church, Uttoxeter, and Marchington Church. He was involved with Pugin and other architects in designs for the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury at Alton Towers including the figures of the Talbot Hounds at the entrance tower, the Angel Corbels in the Lady chapel, 1833, Alton Towers Chapel with Joseph Potter, Swiss Cottage, and Harper's Cottage, Farley. He was the architect who improved several local schools, including Uttoxeter National School, Hanbury Free School, national schools at Oakamoor, Cauldon, Alton, and Draycott School, Hanbury. He married Clara Warner from Bramshall. Their only child Thomas died aged six. Thomas Fradgley died in 1883 aged 83.
Bunting's brewery had occupied a large area of the centre of the town since the Victorian era. It ceased production in the 1930s after being bought by Parkers Brewery of Burslem, later part of Ind Coope. The remains of the brewery were demolished in the 1960s to make way for the Maltings shopping precinct and car park. The brewery clock was refurbished and installed on the town hall in the 2000s.
In 1945, Joseph Cyril Bamford founded J C Bamford Excavators Limited in Uttoxeter, now known as JCB. The firm, based in the nearby village of Rocester, is the world's third-largest construction equipment manufacturer. The firm's first vehicle was a tipping trailer made from war-surplus materials, which J. C. Bamford built in a rented lock-up garage in Uttoxeter. The Bamford family had previously started Bamfords, later Bamford International Farm Machinery which was a large employer in the town from the end of the 19th century through to the early 1980s, when it gradually declined before closing in 1989. The land and former building were acquired by JCB for its "Special Products" division. This has now closed and the buildings have been demolished, but the site has yet to be redeveloped.
Uttoxeter in 2008 marked the 700th anniversary of its market charter of 1308, which underpins the markets held on Saturdays and Wednesdays and on other festival days. The 1308 charter followed a more general Royal Charter granted to the town's burgesses in 1252. The originals are held at The National Archives in Kew and the Deferrers Museum in Leicester.

Economy

One of the main employers in Uttoxeter is the global construction, demolition and agricultural equipment company JCB, headquartered in Rocester, with other factories in Uttoxeter, Cheadle, Rugeley, Foston and Wrexham, and abroad in the United States and India. Fox's Biscuits has a factory in Uttoxeter. Elkes was the creator of the famous malted milk biscuit. Glennans Crisps, specialising in vegetable crisps, is based in the town. It was bought by Tyrrells Crisps in 2012.
Proximity to the Alton Towers Theme Park and Resort, St. George's Park National Football Centre and the Peak District National Park means tourism is important to the local economy. Uttoxeter Racecourse, home to the Midlands Grand National, also brings visitors, as do the town centre shops and markets.
Agriculture remains important, as the town is set in rich dairy farming country. Uttoxeter previously housed a large dairy and was historically a major trader in butter and cheese. The farming cooperative Dairy Farmers of Britain had another large dairy in the nearby village of Fole, but this closed in 2008. The next year the firm went into administration. A new cattle market was due to be built in the town after the old one was demolished in 2004, but no progress was made and it is now unlikely after ten years that the town will regain one.

Recent development

Uttoxeter town centre underwent a development scheme in 2006–2007, with the Market Place, Market Street, Queens Street, Carter Street, and High Street receiving new stone paving and street furniture.
Phased development of Dovefields Retail Park began in 1998 with a Tesco supermarket on the edge of the town and expansion in 2002 with seven large retail outlets. In 2005 an entertainment development with a bowling alley, an ice rink, a cinema, a children's crèche, a fitness centre and business units was built.
The old Cattle Market closed in November 2005 in favour of a retail and housing development, Carter Square, opening in 2014. This features a supermarket, a range of smaller retail units and a medical surgery.
The replacement cattle market, granted planning permission on the outskirts of the town, failed to appear after several years. A municipal recycling depot has opened on part of the site.
The JCB site in the centre of Uttoxeter was demolished in 2009 after the firm moved to one of its sites on the edge of town. This is currently undergoing redevelopment: a Waitrose store opened there in 2016. Plans have been approved for hundreds of homes, a park and business units.

Demography

According to the 2011 census, the population for Uttoxeter Civil Parish was 13,089. White British make up by far the largest ethnicity at 96 per cent of the population with 493 people from an ethnic minority.

Transport and infrastructure

Uttoxeter is on the main A50 trunk road. It also has a railway station, opened originally by the North Staffordshire Railway on 2 October 1881 to replace earlier stations.
The bus stop next to the station runs an hourly service to Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent and Alton Towers. Buses to Stafford run every two hours, those to Burton upon Trent every hour.
Uttoxeter was once the terminus of a branch of the Caldon Canal, but most signs of this, apart from an area of Uttoxeter called "The Wharf", have disappeared, as much of the canal bed was used in the 19th century for the North Staffordshire Railway main line from Uttoxeter to Macclesfield, which has now also disappeared.
The nearest airport is East Midlands, some 29 miles away.

Public services

Policing in Uttoxeter is provided from the Staffordshire Police station in Balance Street. HM Prison Dovegate, in the nearby village of Marchington, is a Category B men's private prison operated by the Serco. HM Prison Sudbury, just over six miles away beyond the Derbyshire boundary, is operated by HM Prison Service as an Category D men's open prison.
The statutory emergency fire and rescue service is provided by the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. Uttoxeter Fire Station is in Cheadle Road in the north of the town.
Uttoxeter has no hospital. It is served by the surrounding Queen's Hospital in Burton, County Hospital in Stafford, the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent and Royal Derby Hospital. There is no ambulance station, but a team of Rapid Response Paramedics is based here and supported by volunteer Community first responders.
The utility firm South Staffordshire Water manages Uttoxeter's drinking water and Severn Trent its waste water.

Places of interest

in Balance Street was Pugin's first church design. He later worked on Alton Towers and the Houses of Parliament. Three miles north-west of Uttoxeter are the remains of Croxden Abbey, founded in 1176 by Bertram de Verdun for monks of the Cistercian Order. Redfern's Cottage Museum of Uttoxeter Life is in Carter Street and run by volunteers. The restored timber-framed building houses local-history displays, a small gift shop and a cafe.
The town's refurbished Market Place contains the town's main war memorial, as well as the Millennium Monument and the Dr Johnson Memorial. The Wednesday, Friday and Saturday markets are held weekly in the Market Place. In addition there is a monthly Makers' Market.
Smallwood Manor, just over a mile outside the town, was built in 1886 as a country house and now houses Smallwood Manor Preparatory School. The National Trust's Museum of Childhood is located at nearby Sudbury Hall.
Uttoxeter Racecourse is a short walk from the town centre.
Bramshall Road Park is the town's recreation ground, with offers tennis courts, skate park, basketball court, football pitch, bowling green and two children's play areas, as well as floral arrangements and the Picknall Brook nature reserve, which can be followed through to the River Dove.
Alton Towers Resort is some from Uttoxeter. The Peak District National Park is about 20 miles away.
The Uttoxeter Casket or Dr Nelson's Casket is an Anglo-Saxon reliquary, probably from Croxden Abbey. It was rediscovered in a cottage in Croxden in the mid-19th century. It probably held a religious relic for display on an altar. It is currently held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, Ohio.

Media

Television

Uttoxeter lies within the BBC West Midlands and ITV Central both broadcast from the Sutton Coldfield transmitting station. It is also possible to receive BBC East Midlands from the Waltham transmitting station in Leicestershire.

Radio

Uttoxeter's local BBC station is BBC Radio Derby, based in Derby. Other local BBC stations that can be received include BBC Radio Stoke and BBC Radio Leicester.
Uttoxeter's commercial radio station is Ashbourne Radio, broadcasting on 101.8 FM locally. Other commercial stations that can be received include Gem, Capital FM East Midlands and Signal Radio.
A further online Uttoxeter radio service called The Knot will be launched on 5 September 2020.

Newspapers

Uttoxeter's newspapers are the Uttoxeter Advertiser, the Uttoxeter Echo, and the community magazine the Shire Standard.

Culture

Uttoxeter Civic Society was re-established in 2004 to act as a civic watchdog and to protect and promote the history and heritage of Uttoxeter.
Each year, Uttoxeter Lions run a beer festival in June, "Lark in the Park", at Bramshall Road Park on August bank holiday and on Bonfire and Fireworks Night in November, and an annual Christmas fair and market known as "Cracker Night".
Uttoxeter Choral Society was founded in 1881, as one of the earliest in the United Kingdom. Its continuity is matched by few other societies.
Uttoxeter is also the home of the Acoustic Festival of Britain.

Television appearances

Uttoxeter was the setting of a recurring comedy sketch by comedians Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie in their BBC television series A Bit of Fry and Laurie. In one episode, two obnoxious business entrepreneurs who run various companies in Uttoxeter throughout the series develop grand plans for a popular sports centre. The sketch derives its humour from the fact that Uttoxeter is in fact a quiet and sedate town.
The town featured in Countryfile, as a "mystery town". Its cattle market featured in the programme as the last ever in the town centre site in 2005. Local people participated in the programme from the local Uttoxeter Advertiser and Uttoxeter Racecourse staff.
Oldfields Hall Middle School featured in the film A Room for Romeo Brass, written and directed by Shane Meadows and Paul Fraser, two Uxonians who have risen to fame.
Uttoxeter Racecourse has been used several times, as it is visited by residents of the popular soap Coronation Street.
Uttoxeter is the home of Rockin' Johnny Austin MBE, recognised for his charity work and rock and roll songs such as Rockabilly Stroll, a minor hit in the 1980s. He also produced in 2010 a World Cup Single, Victory Day, which was filmed on location in Uttoxeter Market Place.

Religion

St. Mary the Virgin Church

The most prominent religious building in Uttoxeter is the Church of England St Mary the Virgin Church in Church Street. The present structure dates from 1877, but parts date from the 15th century. There is another Church of England church in The Heath area of the town. Both lie in the parish of Uttoxeter and the Diocese of Lichfield.

St Mary's Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic church in the town is St Mary's, dating from 1838 and designed by Augustus Pugin. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham.

Other Christian churches

Uttoxeter has a Methodist church dating from 1812, a United Reformed church in Carter Street, a Pentecostal Church, a Free Church, and a Kingdom Hall for Jehovah's Witnesses.

Non-Christian

The nearest mosques and Sikh Gurdwara are in Burton upon Trent, and the nearest synagogue is in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Quaker Meeting House

The Uttoxeter Meeting House in Carter Street was built in 1706 and remained in use until the late 1880s. However, it reopened in 1922 and has remained in use since then.

Education

Uttoxeter has a three-tier schooling system: several first schools, three middle schools and a high school. All three middle schools were rated Good by Ofsted in 2015/2016. The high school was named as one of the top 10 per cente of schools nationally for Progress at GCSE in 2015. Thomas Alleyne's, has over 1,100 pupils, an astroturf football pitch, swimming pool, gymnasium and several grass football pitches. It is the only high school in Staffordshire to offer a school farm. It includes a sixth form centre, and is one of three schools founded by the 16th-century priest Thomas Alleyne.
Before this educational structure, the town had a selective secondary and grammar school system consisting of Windsor Park Boys' School, Oldfields Girls' School and Alleyne's Grammar School.
The University of Derby and Staffordshire University are the closest higher education institutions.

Sport

Uttoxeter is the home town of Olympic gold-medal-winning swimming star Adam Peaty, world record holder for the 50m and 100m breast stroke. In January 2015 he opened the redeveloped Uttoxeter Leisure Centre, which now houses the Adam Peaty swimming pool.
Uttoxeter Racecourse is home to the Midlands Grand National.
Uttoxeter Rugby Club was formed in 1982 when JCB Rugby club began to play at Oldfields sport and social club in Uttoxeter, establishing the first rugby side in a town traditionally associated with football. In those days there was no league structure in place nationally, so Uttoxeter played "friendly" fixtures and developed great rivalries with other local sides including Cannock and Rugeley which have endured over the last 30 years.
Uttoxeter has a football club, Uttoxeter Town F.C., also based at Oldfields sports and social club. It has been successful for many years in the Burton and District Sunday Football League. From 2012, Uttoxeter Town entered the Staffordshire County Senior League, Division 1, and now plays at the. Rocester F.C. plays in the nearby village of Rocester.
Uttoxeter golf course is a short walk from the town. The Manor golf course is three miles out near the village of Kingstone.
Uttoxeter Leisure Centre in Oldfields Road has a swimming pool, gym and sports hall.
Uttoxeter Rifle Club is a Home Office-approved club based in the village of Denstone. It regularly shoots on the 30-yard outdoor cadet range at Denstone College and at longer-range facilities at Catton Park and Diggle.

Notable people

In order of birth: