Trentham, Staffordshire

The River Trent is the border between the City of Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford Borough for most of its southerly flow past Trentham. Some parts of Trentham are in Stafford Borough, notably the parish church and the remaining buildings of the Trentham Hall estate in the parish of Swynnerton which are classed as a conservation area.

Werburgh, an Anglo-Saxon princess, was born in Stone and died in Trentham in 699 AD. She became the patron saint of the city of Chester in Cheshire. Her feast day is 3 February.

Trentham was the site of Trentham Priory, dissolved in 1540. The Lord of the Manor of Trentham existed from 1149-1541.

Trentham village was the estate village for Trentham Hall and the Trentham Estate, the former country seat of the Dukes of Sutherland. Their private Sutherland Mausoleum is a prominent landmark next to the A34 road and the only Grade I listed building in the city.

Trentham was not one of the historic "six towns" which joined to form a city in the original Federation of Stoke-on-Trent in 1910. Trentham joined the Federation a little later, in the 1922 expansion.

In World War I, Trentham was bombed by Zeppelin 'L 21'. During the Second World War Trentham Ballroom was used by the Bankers' Clearing House for clearing the country's cheques. The grounds were also used to station thousands of French troops, who had fled Europe at the fall of France.

Trentham's combination of history and geography, together with the area's significantly different demographics from the rest of the city, is often reflected in a tendency by Trentham residents to consider themselves separate to Stoke-on-Trent rather than a part of it.

Trentham Colliery opened in 1925[2] and closed in 1993.[3]

Trentham has two Anglican churches, three public houses, a cafe/bar, a rugby club, a Scout Group, two primary schools (Ash Green and The Priory) and a high school (Trentham High School). The area is one of the most affluent in the city and is the home of several local celebrities.

The village was previously served by Trentham (Staffordshire) railway station and Wedgwood railway station on the Stafford to Manchester Line

Trentham station closed in 1957 and currently no trains stop at Wedgwood railway station, the service having been replaced by a rail replacement bus service. As of 2019 it is proposed to permanently close Wedgwood railway station.

The ducal estate of the Sutherland family is now branded as Trentham Gardens following a substantial and costly regeneration effort by St. Modwen, and the estate is now one of the region's major leisure and tourist attractions. The Trentham Lake on the estate is home to the Trentham Boat Club.[4]

• William Theed (1804–1891) an English sculptor, versatile and eclectic in his works, he specialised in portraiture [5]
• Sam Hughes (1824–1898) the last great ophicleide player, the ophicleide was the bass-baritone instrument of the brass family, replacing the serpent and in turn being replaced by the euphonium.

• The Making of the Six Towns ISBN 0-905080-42-4.

• Trentham (Staffordshire) railway station
• Trentham Gardens railway station

• "Trentham Priory" in the Victoria County History