IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Redhill Gardens, STONE, ST15 8BH

Looking toward Rugeley and Lichfield.

Looking south-east towards Rugeley in warm evening sunlight, this is the line from Stoke-on-Trent, seen from the Church Lane level crossing. Railway bureaucracy causes confusion here because Church Street changes to Redhill Road. There is no Church Lane! The houses are in The Sidings, so one is tempted to surmise what preceded the housing there. However, Victorian maps reveal that there were no railway sidings here, just small fields.

The identification plate reads SOT27M137. The mileage on this route is measured from the junction at Cheadle Hulme (just south of Stockport) where the North Staffordshire line via Stoke on Trent diverges from the original London & North Western line via Crewe. The official distance to the crossing is documented as 27 miles 63 chains (27 miles 1386 yards). The other signs forbid the use of "portable" telephones and smoking, and offer advice to anyone wishing to enter. Update 2021: A further curiosity is that despite the name of the crossing there is no Church Lane in the village. Church Road runs parallel to the railway, just south and west of the level crossing, but the road that actually crosses the line is called Redhill Road. The parish church of St Michael, from which the crossing is presumably named, stands some way further to the west.

Looking south-east towards Rugeley, this is the line from Stoke-on-Trent, seen from the Church Street level crossing. The railway authorities insist on naming this Church Lane Crossing.

Looking north-east, the railway line between Rugeley and Stoke-on-Trent crosses here. Railway bureaucracy causes confusion because Church Street changes to Redhill Road here. There is no Church Lane! Image]

This watermill was built by Robert Bill in 1795. Water comes through the raised leat on the left. Stoney Richard Smith was born in the mill house opposite in 1836 and in 1887 patented an idea to extract wheatgerm, lightly cook it and replace it in the bread. He teamed up with a firm of millers in Macclesfield and his invention became known as HOVIS. A contraction of Hominis Vis (the strength of man). Thus, the household name originated here in Stone. The mill is now an hotel and restaurant.

A view from Coppice Road, Stone, looking down the hill to old mill buildings that are now converted to flats. The church in the background is St Michael's.

View from the other side at lade level. Now a hotel and restaurant.

Stone station is little more than half a mile in this direction but there is no platform on this line. The nearest bridge carries a footpath to Granville Terrace; the bridge beyond it carries the A520 to Leek.