Wheaton Aston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wheaton Aston |
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 St Mary's church |
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 Wheaton Aston
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| OS grid reference | SJ851126 |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Stafford |
| Postcode district | ST19 |
| Police | Staffordshire |
| Fire | Staffordshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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Wheaton Aston is a small village in Staffordshire, England. It's about 9 miles (14 km) southwest of Stafford and 7 miles (11 km) west of Cannock. The village is right next to Bridge 19 of the Shropshire Union Canal. It's part of a larger area called Lapley, Stretton and Wheaton Aston.
Thousands of people live in Wheaton Aston. It's a good place for people who travel to work in bigger cities. This is because it has good transport connections. Junction 12 of the M6 motorway is only 5 miles (8 km) away. This road gives quick access to Birmingham, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. Other nearby roads like the M54, A449, and A5 make it easy to reach Stafford, Cannock, Telford, and Shrewsbury.
Bus service 877/878 connects Wheaton Aston to Stafford and Wolverhampton. These buses run regularly from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays, there are only a few trips to and from Stafford.
Contents
Village History
Early Mentions and a Special Spring
The first time Wheaton Aston was written about was in the Domesday Book. This very old book was made in 1086. It mentioned the area of Lapley, which included Wheaton Aston and other nearby places.
For many years, up to the 1700s, Wheaton Aston was known as a "spa." This was because a special mineral spring was found in one of the gardens. People believed the water from this spring had healing powers.
The Great Fire of 1777
In 1777, a big event happened in the village. A fire burned down more than half of Wheaton Aston. This event is still known locally as the 'Great Fire'. It changed the village a lot.
The Canal Arrives
In the 1830s, a famous engineer named Thomas Telford built a canal. It was called the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal. Today, it's known as the Shropshire Union Canal. This canal was built right through the edge of the village.
The canal brought many people and new businesses to Wheaton Aston. This was because the canal became the main way to travel and transport goods between Liverpool and London.
Old Cures and War Time
In the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, you can see a strange item from Wheaton Aston. It's a pair of moles' feet from 1902. An old man from the village used to carry them in his pocket. He believed they would cure toothache!
During World War II, Wheaton Aston had an airfield. This was a military airport about 2 miles (3 km) north of the village. Today, the land is used for farming. However, some of the old buildings, like the control tower, are still there but are no longer used.
Modern Growth
The last big change in the village happened in the 1960s and 1970s. This is when sewers were put into the village. This made it possible for Wheaton Aston to grow much faster. Many new housing areas were built as a result.
Wheaton Aston's Unique Flower
The Snake's Head Fritillary
Wheaton Aston is famous for something special: it's the most northern place in the UK where the snake's head fritillary flower grows in the wild. This beautiful flower is known locally as "folfallarum."
Years ago, it was a tradition that on the first Sunday in May, everyone in the village would go out and pick these flowers. Because of this tradition, the flower became the unofficial symbol of the village. You can even see it on local school uniforms!
Protecting the Flowers
Today, the area where these flowers grow is called Mottey Meadows. It is looked after by Natural England. This organization works to protect the flowers and their natural home.
Village Facilities
Even though Wheaton Aston is in the countryside, it has many useful places for people. There are two pubs: The Hartley Arms and the Coach and Horses. The Coach and Horses also has a cafe and sandwich shop.
The village has the Wheaton Aston and Lapley Recreation Ground, a post office, and a paper shop. There's also a general store and a garage called Turners that sells hardware. Hinsley's is a motor engineers, and two farms, The Bridge and Whitegates, sell their produce directly to people.
The old Scout hut next to the canal has been updated. It reopened in June 2021 as Tavern Lane Studio. This is a community arts center. It offers dance, drama, and other clubs for people to join.
There is one school in the village, St. Mary's CE(C) First School. About 100 children attend this school.
Village Churches
Wheaton Aston has one church and one chapel.
St. Mary's Church
There has been a church on the main site in the village center since the 1300s. This first church was made of wood. It was one of the few buildings that survived the Great Fire in 1777.
However, the wooden church became too old and damaged. So, it was taken down, and a new stone church was built in 1857. This stone church was made bigger in 1894. It is the church you can still see today. All of its windows were made in a medieval style. They were created by a famous Victorian artist named Charles Eamer Kempe. He was a master of stained glass.
Zion Chapel
The Zion Chapel was built in 1814. It started as a 'Congregational church'. Later, the Congregational and Presbyterian churches joined together. The Zion Chapel decided to become part of the Evangelical Fellowship of Congregational Churches (E.F.C.C.). This allowed them to stay independent and support themselves. They also had the help and connection of a worldwide group of churches.
Famous People from Wheaton Aston
- Edgar Leopold Layard (1824 – 1900) was a British diplomat. He was also a naturalist, which means he studied nature. He was very interested in birds and also in snails and shells. He lived in Wheaton Aston as a boy.
- Jeremy Weate (born 1969 in Wheaton Aston) is an author and consultant. He wrote a children's book called A Young Person's Guide to Philosophy. He also helps with projects in Africa that focus on being open and fair in mining industries.
- Epic45 is a British band that started in 1995. The main members, Rob Glover and Benjamin Holton, grew up in Wheaton Aston.
Twin Towns
In February 1990, Wheaton Aston became "twinned" with another town. This means they have a special friendship. Wheaton Aston's twin town is Wheaton, which is in Illinois, United States.
