Madeley Through Time

Madeley parish is situated in the north-west corner of Staffordshire. It is set in an attractive landscape of hills and meadows. The present appearance of the parish is both revealing and deceptive in terms of its historical past. The medieval church and its surroundings, the Old Hall and Madeley Pool all suggest a parish that has developed over many centuries and is typical of rural Staffordshire. Based on the presence of coal and iron and helped by a network of railways, nineteenth century Madeley saw substantial changes. By the middle of the twentieth century there was little of that industrial activity left. Its hub, the coal mine, closed and the village of Leycett virtually disappeared. This book goes on a visual journey through the parish and attempts to illustrate both continuity and change.