We're Talking Rubbish, Episode 1: A Chat with TS Domestics

I recently sat down with the team at TS Domestics for the first episode of their new podcast, talking local history, local media, and what it actually takes to improve our towns and city.

Walking on the Minton Tiles: Inside St George's Hall, Liverpool

St George's Hall in Liverpool hides one of the finest Victorian floors in the world, over 30,000 hand-crafted Minton tiles, usually kept covered and only uncovered for a few weeks each year. This year's reveal runs from 17 July to 2 September 2026.

Time Team in Newcastle-under-Lyme?

UPDATE: They wrote back. Remember me banging on about emailing Time Team about Newcastle-under-Lyme Castle? Well, I didn't expect a reply quite this quickly, but here we are. Rose from Time Team got back to me, and the first line alone made my week: "Am

Biddulph Old Hall: A Romantic Ruin, Still Lived In Today

Hidden in the Staffordshire Moorlands, overlooking the Cheshire Plain, lies Biddulph Old Hall, a romantic ruin that is still lived in today. It has survived siege, cannon fire and near total ruin, and it has been quietly keeping hold of a love story worth waiting five hundred years to hear.

The Leek Double Sunset, Staffordshire’s Strange Midsummer Wonder

Every midsummer, Leek’s famous double sunset connects the Staffordshire Moorlands with ancient skies, medieval history, hidden tunnels and one of the town’s most unusual traditions.

How Stoke-on-Trent Defied Hitler and Helped Rebuild a Village Destroyed by the Nazis

Few people realise that one of Stoke-on-Trent's most inspiring stories began with one of the darkest events of the Second World War. More than eighty years ago, the people of Stoke-on-Trent rallied behind a village they had never seen and families they had never met.

The Hope of Cheadle: The Spitfire Paid for by the People of The Staffordshire Moorlands

Discover the remarkable story of the Hope of Cheadle, the community-funded Spitfire of the Second World War, and learn what to expect at Cheadle Spitfire Day on Saturday 6th June.

War Wheels 2026 - Foxfield Railway, Staffordshire

War Wheels at Foxfield Railway was fantastic today! We go every year and it never disappoints. There were loads of incredible vehicles, the Spitfire, the train running, Titanic Plum Porter on draught in the pub, and plenty of stalls selling all sorts of interesting things. It was lovely to see

Philip Astley, the Newcastle-under-Lyme Showman Who Created the Modern Circus in London

Explore the London site where Newcastle-under-Lyme-born Philip Astley created the modern circus in 1768 and discover Staffordshire’s remarkable connection to entertainment history.

Staffordshire Craftsmanship Beneath Westminster: The Minton Tiles of St Stephen’s Hall

Encaustic tiles produced by Mintons of Stoke-on-Trent form the striking floor of St Stephen’s Hall in the Palace of Westminster, a lasting example of Staffordshire craftsmanship embedded in one of Britain’s most historic buildings.

The Great Heywood ‘Monstrous Birth’ of 1683, Staffordshire’s strangest medical mystery

Over 300 years ago, a traumatic labour in Great Heywood, Staffordshire led to one of the strangest medical cases ever recorded in Staffordshire. This case would go on to reach Robert Plot and the Royal Society.

Beneath Victoria Hall, the old cells hiding under one of Hanley’s grandest buildings

Beneath Victoria Hall lies one of Hanley’s most unusual surviving historic spaces, old holding cells once linked to the civic and judicial life of the Town Hall complex, now cleverly reused as dressing rooms.

facism

The Rise of Fascism in Stoke-on-Trent

The language feels disturbingly familiar: a forgotten people, a broken system, and promises that only a strong leader can put things right. But this is not just a story about today. It is a warning from Stoke-on-Trent’s own past, when division, blame and extremism found a foothold in the Potteries.

leek

The History and Tragic Demolition of Leek’s Big Mill

The skyline of Leek, Staffordshire, has changed forever following the catastrophic fire and subsequent demolition of its most iconic industrial landmark: The Big Mill. Built in 1857 during the peak of the Victorian industrial boom, this Grade II listed structure stood for nearly 170 years as a testament to Leek’

What’s Left of Hagley Hall? Exploring Rugeley’s Forgotten Estate

Researching Hagley Hall does not start in an archive. It starts on the ground. This walk through Rugeley follows the surviving traces of a medieval moated manor, a later demolished hall, and the wider landscape that once supported the estate.

The Gunpowder Plot’s Forgotten Ending in Staffordshire

Most people know the rhyme. Bonfires, fireworks, Guy Fawkes masks, and school lessons that start and end in London. But the Gunpowder Plot didn’t finish beneath Westminster. Its final moments happened here, in Staffordshire, at Holbeache House, on the Staffordshire-West Midlands border. And for something so closely tied

The Wedgwood Monument on Bignall Hill

John Wedgwood, coal, and a mark left on the land

A Quiet Walk Through Stafford and Victoria Park

Today we took the dogs for a peaceful wander around Victoria Park and through the heart of Stafford, stopping to linger at places that so many people walk past every day without really seeing them. It was one of those days when the town feels calm, and you start noticing

Urban Wilderness Winter Gathering 2025, Queen's Park, Longton, A Free Local Lantern Parade for Everyone

We headed down to Queen's Park in Longton for the Winter Gathering 2025 by Urban Wilderness CIC, and it was genuinely lovely to see just how many people turned up for a free, local event that anyone could enjoy. The park was busy without being overwhelming, full of

Step Back in Time: Newcastle-under-Lyme on Film, 1960s

Newcastle-under-Lyme as you may never have seen it. I came across this wonderful old film, which looks, judging by the cars and shopfronts, to be from the 1960s. If anyone can date it more accurately, please do let me know in the comments. We are so lucky that

Fred Hughes on 100 Years of Stoke on Trent, Recorded Live at His Book Launch

Today I had the privilege of attending the launch of Fred Hughes’ new book, Stoke on Trent, The Story of a City 1925 to 2025, held at Stoke Minster as part of the city’s centenary. Fred invited me as his guest, and I recorded his speech so everyone who

The Failure of Grade II Listing: Why Heritage Law Must Change After Burslem's Hill Works Arson

The tragic demise of the Hill Works in Burslem is more than a local disaster; it is another profound failure of our current heritage protection system.

The 47th Star Bikers Charity Toy Run, Stoke on Trent’s Most Iconic Festive Ride

Today, we headed out to support one of Stoke-on-Trent’s most treasured traditions: the 47th Star Bikers Charity Toy Run. We began at the Britannia Stadium before heading over to Bentilee to watch the huge procession ride past, and I honestly don’t think I have ever seen

Last chance to order your 2026 Stoke-on-Trent Calendar

This weekend is the very last chance to order the 2026 Stoke-on-Trent calendar. Pre-orders close on 1 December, then they go straight to print and will be posted out, so if you’ve been meaning to get one, now is the moment. A huge thank you to