Oakamoor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Oakamoor | |
|
Oakamoor shown within Staffordshire | |
| Population | 828 (2001 census) |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Staffordshire Moorlands |
| Shire county | Staffordshire |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Postcode district | ST10 |
| Dialling code | 01538 |
| Police | Staffordshire |
| Fire | Staffordshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Staffordshire Moorlands |
| European Parliament | West Midlands |
| List of places: UK • England • Staffordshire | |
Oakamoor is a small village located near Cheadle in Staffordshire. It has a long and colourful history dating back to Norman Times. It was featured in the famous Domesday Book written by William the Conqueror in 1085. Many of the families have lived there for many centuries. In the Domesday Book, the village was noted as having a few houses and many trees. This was capitalized upon by many wealthy industrialists that constructed large factories in the area and proceeded to smelt Iron and Copper and to also export lumber all over the British empire. The wealth of smoky exhalations from the factories led to some people nicknaming the village "Smokeamoor" because of its smoky climate. Thomas Bolton was the main contributor to this as he created a large factory near the River Churnet.
In the 1950's, the Thomas Bolton factory was closed down and it was demolished. As the factory gave a great deal of employment to the surrounding area, many people were annoyed. Consequently, the local train route that ran from Oakamoor to Alton, and then onwards to Stoke-on-Trent was subsequently dismantled. Today, people can go walking along the former railway track for enjoyment. A pleasant park now lies in the place where the factory once was.
Oakamoor is not a beacon of commerce. It has one shop (A post office) and three public houses. These are called The Cricketers Arms, The Lord Nelson's Legs and the Admiral's Foot. In summer, the area becomes busy as people travel through Oakamoor on their way to Alton Towers.
Oakamoor has always been a centre of paranormal activity. Many residents have reported seeing ominous figures lurking in the village streets on foggy nights. The Admiral's Foot has long been known to be a hotspot for ghost experts and curiosity seekers as most, if not all of the rooms are totally haunted by demons. Some residents believe that the reason Oakamoor has a large amount of ghosts is because a great deal of children met their grisly demises working in the old factory before child labour laws were enforced. Sometimes on summer nights, you can hear the shrill screams of ghost children being beaten by their industrial masters.
Ceremonial county of Staffordshire | |
|---|---|
| Unitary authorities | Stoke-on-Trent |
| Boroughs or districts | Cannock Chase • East Staffordshire • Lichfield • Newcastle-under-Lyme • South Staffordshire • Stafford • Staffordshire Moorlands • Tamworth |
| Cities and towns | Biddulph • Burntwood • Burton upon Trent • Cannock • Cheadle • Eccleshall • Hednesford • Kidsgrove • Leek • Lichfield • Newcastle-under-Lyme • Penkridge • Rugeley • Stafford • Stoke-on-Trent (Burslem • Fenton • Hanley • Longton • Stoke • Tunstall) • Stone • Tamworth • Uttoxeter See also: List of civil parishes in Staffordshire |
