Stafford: Some ups and downs along Stone's pedestrian ways

The Frank Jordan Centre has a car park. There is plenty of car parking space available elsewhere in Stone.

Stone is also served by local buses 1,2 and 3 which are at the time of writing run by DG Coach and Bennetts Travel  Cranberry. 

Bus routes X1, 101, 249, 250 and 490 operate from Stoke to Stafford via Stone. 

[1]  Standing with your back to the main entrance door of the Frank Jordan Centre, turn right and walk along the pavement until after 75 metres, at the end of an old brick wall, the view opens up on your right.

[2]  Face to the right. Pause for a moment to survey the scene in front of you. Just below your present level you will see that Abbey Street rises from the right. Just across Abbey Street is a cul-de-sac; it is at the end of Priory road. Now turn sharp right by the brick wall and go downhill 15 metres to a place where you can carefully cross to a path which drops to the left to Priory Road. Follow this pavement as it swings gently to the right and then turns to the left. As soon as you have turned to the left, carefully cross the road to reach the pavement on the left hand side of another cul-de-sac (signed 112-146 Priory Road). Walk along the pavement under the trees for a few paces to reach a pedestrian walkway which has metal railings on the right hand side.

[3]  Follow this walkway that passes between the houses on the left and the Trent and Mersey Canal on the right. The footpath forks at a green triangle of grass. 

[4]  Take the left fork to reach Priory Road again. Carefully cross the road and turn right to follow the pavement as it passes a children's play area (A) where there is a seat. Just past the play area you reach the edge of a cricket field, marked by a row of trees.

[5]  Turn left and follow the path beside the trees, keeping the fence at the edge of the cricket field on your right. The path leads you up to Lichfield Road at a point opposite the entrance to Altona Close.

[6]  Turn left and follow the pavement.  On the other side of Lichfield Road there is a succession of three side roads. They are Cedar Park, Old Rectory Road, and Claremont Close. The next road on the other side is Church Street. Pause for a moment opposite Church Street. you are now at the point where Lichfield Road becomes Lichfield Street. Take a few more paces along the pavement until you have reached a point beyond the entrance to Church Street which gives the best sighting to cross the road.

Here you have the opportunity to end the walk early by continuing along the pavement for 200 metres to reach the Frank Jordan Centre.

[7]  Otherwise, to continue the walk, cross very carefully over Lichfield Street and follow the pavement on the left of Church Street. Turn left into The Hempbutts and continue along the pavement until the road divides to go left and right.

[8]  Carefully cross the left hand road to a pedestrian walkway and follow it, initially between hedges, to the church (B). Note the Jervis Mausoleum behind the church. At the church, turn left and then right to reach the steps leading to the main doorway below the clock tower.

[9]  Standing with the church steps behind you, walk straight ahead noting the Crompton Tomb on your left to reach the churchyard entrance. Turn left and then left again into Lichfield Street. In a few metres cross the road very carefully to reach the Frank Jordan Centre.

A. Priory Road Children's Playground There is a seat available here.

B. Church of St Michael and St Wulfad

Stone was named after the pile of stones that were placed on the graves of King Wulfhere's 2 sons, who were killed by their father in 665 AD because of their conversion to Christianity.

The church built over these stones, in 670 AD, was replaced in 1135 by an Augustine Priory, which survived until the dissolution, in the reign of Henry VIII. The building collapsed in 1749, to be replaced by the church of St. Michael and St. Wulfad.

William Robinson built the present parish church of St. Michael in 1753 partly on the site of the old Priory church. See www.stonestaffordshire.co.uk

The site of the old church is marked by the tomb of the Cromptons which has their effigies on top.

Behind the church is the mausoleum of Sir John Jervis (Baron Jervis of Meaford and Lord St Vincent) who as Admiral Jervis won the battle of St Vincent with HMS VIctory as his flagship and Nelson as a subordinate. See Wikipedia etc. for more details.