The Apedale Valley was once an industrial powerhouse!
It had coal mining at its heart and was dominated by 3 major families – the Bowers, Gresleys and Heathcotes.
The pits in the valley were Sladderhill, Burley, Watermills and Wood, and were all eventually linked underground and operated as one colliery for efficiency.
From around 1760 bricks were being made at the Gresley brickworks in the Apedale valley. These bricks were used to construct the drainage channels for the mines in the area, using the clay mined from Gresley’s own workings.
Apedale canal was built in 1776 and was privately owned. It ran from Sladderhilll colliery in Apedale, past the Iron works, across what is now the Holditch Industrial Estate, and then onto Newcastle.
Apedale Iron works was founded by 5 brothers named Parker! Production of pig iron started in 1785 and within a few years had reached 1300 tons!
All these industries and more can be learnt about at the Heritage Centre.
The centre was founded in 2001 on the site of Apedale Colliery, which closed in 1998. It is entirely run by volunteers and their main funding comes from the café, mine tours and donations.
The Moseley Railway Trust‘s mission is to preserve, conserve and interpret artefacts from Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways, including locomotives and other vehicles and to fulfil that objective, the Moseley Railway Trust is developing a major railway, workshops and museum complex in conjunction with the existing Apedale Heritage Centre.
Delightfully, the café is open every day, so you can drop in for a cuppa or to try some North Staffordshire Oatcakes, a speciality of the Potteries!
At the Weekends and Bank Holiday Mondays you can take a guided tour of an authentic drift mine and look around the museum. The Apedale Valley Light Railway is located right next door as well and operates from Spring to Autumn. And let’s not forget the Country Park for a healthy dose of nature!
Get your visiting information HERE!
Apedale Heritage Centre, Loomer Road, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. ST5 7LB
The Apedale Valley was once an industrial powerhouse!
It had coal mining at its heart and was dominated by 3 major families – the Bowers, Gresleys and Heathcotes.
The pits in the valley were Sladderhill, Burley, Watermills and Wood, and were all eventually linked underground and operated as one colliery for efficiency.
From around 1760 bricks were being made at the Gresley brickworks in the Apedale valley. These bricks were used to construct the drainage channels for the mines in the area, using the clay mined from Gresley’s own workings.
Apedale canal was built in 1776 and was privately owned. It ran from Sladderhilll colliery in Apedale, past the Iron works, across what is now the Holditch Industrial Estate, and then onto Newcastle.
Apedale Iron works was founded by 5 brothers named Parker! Production of pig iron started in 1785 and within a few years had reached 1300 tons!
All these industries and more can be learnt about at the Heritage Centre.
The centre was founded in 2001 on the site of Apedale Colliery, which closed in 1998. It is entirely run by volunteers and their main funding comes from the café, mine tours and donations.
The Moseley Railway Trust‘s mission is to preserve, conserve and interpret artefacts from Industrial Narrow Gauge Railways, including locomotives and other vehicles and to fulfil that objective, the Moseley Railway Trust is developing a major railway, workshops and museum complex in conjunction with the existing Apedale Heritage Centre.
Delightfully, the café is open every day, so you can drop in for a cuppa or to try some North Staffordshire Oatcakes, a speciality of the Potteries!
At the Weekends and Bank Holiday Mondays you can take a guided tour of an authentic drift mine and look around the museum. The Apedale Valley Light Railway is located right next door as well and operates from Spring to Autumn. And let’s not forget the Country Park for a healthy dose of nature!
Get your visiting information HERE!
Apedale Heritage Centre, Loomer Road, Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire. ST5 7LB
