The former Brassworks Farmhouse, now a private residence.
The area around Little Stoke was nothing more than farmland and agriculture until the building of the Trent and Mersey Canal through the area in 1766 and its use from 1777. The Brass Works was opened in 1794, and with the construction of the "Brassworks Bridge" over the Trent and Mersey Canal. Connected the works to Stone. The works were established by George Vernon and Richard Keys in 1794 and operated until 1830.[3] The former farmhouse of the Brassington Works is now a Grade II listed building, given the status by Historic England in June 1986.[4] The official entry for the structure is quoted as saying:
Farmhouse facing Trent and Mersey Canal. 1794. Brick with ashlar dressings; graduated slate roof with tile roof to rear and brick end stacks. Central staircase plan. Georgian style. 3 storeys; symmetrical 3-window range. Top cornice. Entrance has doorcase with architrave, frieze and consoled pediment, the consoles with beading, and 6-panel door. Windows have sills, ground and 1st floor windows with wedge lintels and 12-pane sashes, those to ground floor boarded; remains of 6-pane sashes to 2nd floor.
In 1880, the local Shardlow Family opened the "Three Crowns Inn" pub off Lichfield Road on what was once one of the many stagecoach routes from London to North West England via Stone. In 1934, Leah Ethel Shardlow was the final member of her family to give up the license of the pub.[5] The pub underwent alterations and modernising work in 1964 and was then reopened as a pub. Parts of the original pub including an adjacent stable were removed and later the demolition of neighbouring "Keer's Cottage", which became a car park for the pub. The pub continues to be an active community venue and public house.[6]
Today, Little Stoke is a residential area of Stone and is adjacent to the village of Aston-By-Stone. The area was served by Aston-by-Stone railway station between Stone and Rugeley Trent Valley. The station was mostly demolished and the nearest station is now Stone. The line remains in use as the Colwich–Stone line for freight traffic and passenger traffic for cross-country route services.
Transport
The area has no bus services through Little Stoke. With the closest stops at either Aston-by-Stone village hall or Abbey Street/Stafford Road in Stone town centre.
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