Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and restored as an arts centre. The front was by Nash, the landscaping by Capability Brown
and the adjacent St Mary's church of 1676 by Sir Christopher Wren. This is where Edward
VII spent his holidays.
After Hoo Mill Lock, powerlines cross and there is a garden centre and tea rooms before
Great Haywood Junction, where the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal leaves. The Trent
& Mersey Canal now forms part of the Black Country Ring to Fradley.
Shugborough Park has been restored as a 19th century working estate. An 1805 farm is
the Staffordshire County Museum with farm machinery, working cornmill, demonstrations
of farming methods and historic breeds of livestock. There are restored estate interiors, a kit-
chen, butlers' pantry, brewhouse, laundry, coach house, shops, domestic life exhibits, cos-
tumes, toys, crafts, steam locomotives and a cafe.
Stone Lock, with its balance beam that is short in order to clear the road bridge
.
It was bought by William Anson from the Bishops of Lichfield in 1624 and since then has
been the home of the Ansons, who evicted a village in order to expand their estate. William's
great-grandson, George, became First Lord of the Admiralty in 1751 and repaired the neglect
of the Royal Navy. His stay in Canton, during his four-year round-the-world voyage, resul-
ted in the Chinese House. Other art treasures include 18th century French and English china,
French furniture, tapestry and paintings, silver, Vassalli rococo plasterwork and eight beauti-
ful neoclassical monuments, including an 18th century monument by James Athenian Stuart.
It is the earliest neo-Grecian building in the country. The hall of Shugborough, which means
meeting place of witches and hobgoblins, is set in 3.6km
2
of parkland.
The iron bridge once carried a drive to Shugborough Hall with its pines, beeches and
rhododendrons. The Essex Bridge was a late 16th century packhorse structure of sandstone. It
is 1.5m wide externally and was the longest in the country. Fourteen of the 42 arches remain
