Curiosities of Old Staffordshire | Staffordshire Memories

This is a documentary about the Folklore and Heritage of the county of Staffordshire, which was produced in 1999 on VHS. It explores a great many locations and provides background on the stories that have taken place there to provide a 50 minute crash course in Staffordshire Curiosities.
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The curiously contradictory county of Staffordshire is not a unique example, but is certainly the best, of the harmonious and sometimes miraculous marriage of town and country, industry and nature, urban and rural. With the industrial heartlands of the Black Country and the Potteries, and the central area of natural splendour that is Cannock Chase, serving to illustrate the contrast beautifully.
'Curiosities of Old Staffordshire' contains many stories of local life, culture and folklore and explores some of the more unusual aspects of the county, including Walsall's bottomless lake and its sinking mayor, Lichfield's annoying sniper and Bilston's riotous religious festival.
We take a look at Tamworth's royal heritage, Stafford's medieval past and Burton upon Trent's invaluable contribution to the world. We visit the 'corner of an English field that will be forever Germany' in Cannock Chase and the home of the murderous doctor who was purely in it for the money.
Other intriguing stories come from Stone, Leek, Smethwick, Brewood, Uttoxeter and the Wolverhampton railway bridge that never saw a train. Also included is the source of the Trent at Mow Cop, the amazing sight of the cave houses of Kinver Edge and the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance, unique in Europe. Plus much, much more.
With kind thanks to: The Bass Museum - Burton upon Trent, Stafford Castle, Tamworth Snowdome and Gladstone Pottery museum.
PRODUCED BY HERITAGE FILMS
Running time: 50mins approx.
Copyright 1999 Heritage Films
Sleeve by Jo Monro Design
Exempt from certification
VHS CST53
Barcode: 5030589000530
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Everything in between the lines is taken directly from the sleeve of the VHS.
The words to the children's rhyme at the end are spelled correctly taken from "Staffordshire Customs, Superstitions, and Folklore by F.W. Hackwood. P. 170
Published by EP Publishing 1974.
ISBN 0 7158 1057 X
This material is the sole copyright of Heritage Films. I have reproduced it here as this is an exceedingly rare VHS that never seems to have made it to DVD or digital distribution and is in danger of being lost. I cannot find any production company by that name, nor can I find contact information for those listed in the credits. If you are the copyright holder and do not wish for this transfer to be public, please contact me at [e-mail] to request prompt removal.

[@martiniv8924]

Fantastic video, thanks for sharing 🙏🏻

[@macjam9090]

A very interesting piece of work. Really enjoyed it. There must be loads more stories and traditions hiding in the vaults.

[@mjrchapin]

Quite comprehensive tour--seriously, I feel as though I'd had the grand tour. Thank you for this!

[@kevinwoollaston8597]

Fantastic find !!

[@StaffordshireHiraeth]

Thanks! I have one more I want to upload when I find time, but I'm always on the look out for more content so if you know of anything please let me know and I'll try to acquire it.

[@steveaquarios007]

Great info here really enjoyed that. Just for the record from a person born looking up at Mow cop castle (26:17) Mow is pronounced "Mao" as in Mao Tse Tung.

[@noreenclark2568]

Like the first commentator i too enjoyed the history and traditions of Staffordshire and hopefully will see many other cities of Britain

[@jeanglendinning1860]

lovely to see the places where i grew up, i used to live in great haywood until i married and emigrated to New Zealand i used to walk over the essex bridge to the "main road" to catch the midland red bus to Rugeley

[@sarahgt1533]

Really enjoyed this video. Very interesting. Thankyou 👍

[@lizscutt7899]

You & and The Jolly Reiver are 2 of my favour channels. Keep it up, boys 😊😊

[@Glamrockqueen]

This was a lovely video. It's Mow, as in Cow. Narrator sounds slightly like Rodney Bewes! No Molly Leigh tho.

[@paulmcc9622]

I suspect many people will not be aware of just how large and how diverse a county Staffordshire was, before the 1974 Boundary Changes, that created the former West Midlands County.

[@angelsone-five7912]

And in the 21st century all this will vanish forever.

[@judithparker4608]

Danelaw and Barons...Fox Hunters