Madeley Staffordshire Tour

Tour of the Madeley Area

Madeley

(Photo - © Hector Simmonds)

Shown here is a picture kindly donated by Hector Simmonds. It was taken in the summer of 2000 by Madeley Pool.

(Photo - © Kevin J. Clarke)
From Moss Lane looking towards New Road. The building with the sign on the front is The Evening Spice Restaurant. It was formerly The Bridge Inn.

(Photo - © Kevin J. Clarke)
Looking this time, along Poolside towards the Old Hall.

Compare the two photographs above with those shown in "Keele, Madeley and Whitmore, in old picture postcards. Barbara and Dennis Morris, Anthony and Joy Priestley, Roger Simmons and Edward Watkin. Brampton Publications 1990.

Madeley Pool and Mill

Wild Geese Gather on the Pool on Sunday 8th October 2000

(Photo - © of Kevin J. Clarke)

Mill (or Madeley) Pool. One of the landmark buildings of the village is of course the former Mill. It is a building that gives the whole pool area its character. It would have been a great asset lost to the community if it had been torn down in the late 1980's as was the intention.

Compare how it looks today with the photograph of the same building taken in 1982 in its derelict condition. Windows have been added, the hoist door in the front gable has been bricked up and the whole building looks resplendent in it's white paintwork.

When in operation, the Mill pool was guarded by railings.

Storm clouds gather over Madeley Pool in the early evening on Saturday 12th August 2000. Of interest, is the centre right view from this picture has been used for the Madeley Blue Logo on our first page.

(Photo - © Andrew T. Finney)

Again Poolside towards Moss Lane. The Chapel and Cyber Cafe can just be seen above the bush left of centre.

(Photo - © Kevin J. Clarke)

The Moss and West Madeley

The area between the pool and the West Coast Main line is better known as The Moss. At the farthest end of Moss Lane next to the railway bridge is a cabinet makers and joiners shop. In days gone by, the origins of these buildings was for the production of cart wheels. The wheelwrights shop was serviced by traders, who would have stopped over at the Brush End, a former bed and breakfast hostel. Today, all that remains of the wheelwright business, is a steel plate set in the yard floor of the workshops.

This plate was used to lay out the wheels when fitting the outer steel bands. The Picture on the right shows the joinery shop which is situated adjacent to the railway line.

For many years, a chapel used to stand in the small triangle between the railway, Barhill Road and Moss Lane. Unfortunately, vibration from passing rail traffic made the building unsafe and eventually it had to be pulled down.

On the opposite side of the track from the location of the former chapel, can be found the trough reservoir. When steam locomotives were the main source of traction on the railways, long distance runs could not be achieved without frequent stops for taking on water for the boilers. To alleviate this problem, wooden troughs of anything up to two miles long were constructed on level ground between the rails. This is the case with Madeley, which had its own set along this stretch of railway. When travelling over these constructions, the fireman would manually lower a scoop into the water from the engines tender. Forward velocity from the train would then force water into the scoop, up and into the water tanks aboard the tender. Many a disaster has befallen tardy firemen in returning the scoop before the end of the trough is reached. Station Road accommodated the main line railway station with its own railway hotel. Although no longer a hotel the building still remains as a private dwelling like so many other railway buildings. (see Keele Station) Sections of the hotel were removed to give it the size it is today. Alms houses for the poor of the area, were built at the opposite end of Station Road by the junction of Barhill Road. These buildings are still in existence, having great character with a pleasant view across fields to the south east and of the church.

The Old Alms houses situated on Station Road.

Towards the Old Hall across the River lea Bridge.