| Alton | |
|---|---|
 Village sign | |
  Alton Location within Staffordshire | |
| Population | 1,226 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SK073422 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| 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 | |
Alton (UK: /ˈɒltən/ OL-tən) is a village in Staffordshire, England.[2] It is noted for the theme park Alton Towers, built around the site of Alton Mansion, which was owned by the Earls of Shrewsbury,[3] and designed by Augustus Pugin.[4] In the 1914 map by Whiston, there were copper works in the village.[2]
The village is on the eastern side of the Churnet.[5] It is mentioned in the Domesday Book, and contains numerous buildings of architectural interest; the Round-House, Alton Castle (now a Catholic youth retreat centre), St Peter's Church, The Malt House, St John's Church and Alton Towers.[6]
Alton was served by the Alton railway station which was opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 13 July 1849 and closed in January 1965.[4]
The Chained Oak in Alton has been made famous by the ride Hex – The Legend of the Towers at Alton Towers and the legend involving the Earl of Shrewsbury.[7]
- ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 2 December 2015.
- ^ a b Roger J. P. Kain; John Chapman; Richard R. Oliver (1 July 2004). The Enclosure Maps of England and Wales 1595–1918: A Cartographic Analysis and Electronic Catalogue. Cambridge University Press. pp. 118–. ISBN 978-0-521-82771-3.
- ^ William West; Frederick Calvert (1834). Picturesque views and description of cities, towns, castles, mansions, and other objects of interesting feature, in Staffordshire, from original designs, taken expressly for this work by Frederick Calvert, engraved on steel dy [sic] Mr. T. Radclyffe, with historical and topographical illustrations. William Emans. pp. 28–.
- ^ a b Peter Scott (1 May 1998). A History of the Alton Towers Railway: Including Other Railways & Transport Systems at Alton Towers, Together with the Railways at Lilleshall Hall & Trentham Gardens. Peter Scott. pp. 11–. ISBN 978-1-902368-06-1.
- ^ William Adam (1857). The Gem of the Peak; or Matlock Bath and its vicinity; an account of Derby; a tour from Derby to Matlock: ... a review of the geology of Derbyshire; catalogue of minerals and rocks, and of the flora of the high and low Peak. J. & C. Mozley. pp. 238–. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ H. C. Darby; I. B. Terrett (2 September 1971). The Domesday Geography of Midland England. Cambridge University Press. pp. 320–. ISBN 978-0-521-08078-1.
- ^ Steve Hollyman and Gary Kelsall (2008). "The Legend of the Chained Oak". Alton Towers Heritage. Archived from the original on 30 April 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2012.