Wolseley Bridge

For other uses, see Wolseley.

Wolsley Bridge
The Wolseley Arms Pub, Wolseley Bridge
Wolsley Bridge Location within Staffordshire
OS grid reference	SK020203
•  London	152 mi (245 km)  SSE
Civil parish	Colwich Parish
District	Stafford
Shire county	Staffordshire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	STAFFORD
Postcode district	ST17
Dialling code	01785
Police	Staffordshire
Fire	Staffordshire
Ambulance	West Midlands
UK Parliament	Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge
List of places UK England Staffordshire 52°47′07″N1°58′14″W / 52.785251°N 1.970443°W / 52.785251; -1.970443

Wolseley Bridge, or Wolseley is a small riverside village in the Borough of Stafford in Staffordshire, England. It is located midway between Colwich, Stafford and Rugeley. It is also close to the Bishton Hall, Cannock Chase, and Shugborough Hall. The village is best known for the Wolseley Bridge, a Grade II listed structure, and the Wolseley Centre. The village falls under the Colwich Parish. It is adjacent to the hamlet of Bishton and the village of Colwich.

History

The Wolseley Bridge over the River Trent

The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book under the name, "Wolseley" and fell under the Pirehill Hundred of Staffordshire. According to its entry in the book it reads as follows:

Land of Chester (St John), bishop of

Households Households: 4 villagers. 2 smallholders. Land and resources Other resources: Meadow 3 acres. Valuation Annual value to lord: 3 shillings and 2 pence in 1086; 3 shillings and 2 pence in 1066. Owners Tenant-in-chief in 1086: Chester (St John), bishop of. Lord in 1086: Nigel (of Stafford).

Lord in 1066: Chester (St John), bishop of.

— Open Domesday, Wolseley, Wolseley was a settlement in Domesday Book, in the hundred of Pirehill and the county of Staffordshire. It had a recorded population of 6 households in 1086, putting it in the smallest 40% of settlements recorded in Domesday.

Geography

The village is located at a crossroads of the A51 and A513 roads. The village is split between the crossroads at two roundabouts and the Wolseley Bridge. On the southern end, it is made up of farmhouses, housing, and small commercial businesses. On the northern side, it is a small mix of housing, a petrol station, and commercial businesses. It is also adjacent to the hamlet of Bishton and the village of Colwich.

Wolseley Centre

The Wolseley Centre is the headquarters of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. There is a visitor centre, and a nature reserve of 26 acres (11 ha). ^[1] The site of the nature reserve was formerly the grounds of Wolseley Hall, demolished in 1966. The estate was the home of the Wolseley family from the 11th century. ^[2]

Transport

The River Trent and Trent and Mersey Canal bypass the village to the north, and the Trent Valley Line bypasses to the northeast. Buses pass through the village between Stafford and Rugeley.

The nearest railway stations are: Rugeley Trent Valley, Rugeley Town and Stafford. The village was once served by two railway stations, Colwich and Milford and Brocton. Both of which have since closed.

References

1. "The Wolseley Centre" Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
2. "Wolseley Hall" Parks & Gardens. Retrieved 27 April 2020.