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Newcastle-Under-Lyme

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{{infobox England place with map| |Place= Newcastle-under-Lyme |Map = Newcastle under Lyme - Staffordshire dot.png |Population = 74,427 |District= Newcastle-under-Lyme (borough) Newcastle-under-Lyme |County= Staffordshire |Region= West Midlands (region) West Midlands |Ceremonial= Staffordshire |Traditional= Staffordshire |Police= |Constituency= |PostalTown= NEWCASTLE |PostCode= ST5 |DiallingCode= 01782 |GridReference= SJ855465 |Euro= West Midlands (European Parliament constituency) West Midlands }} '''Newcastle-under-Lyme''', known simply as ''"castle"'' to many local people, is a busy market town in Staffordshire, England, not to be confused with the larger city of Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle-under-Lyme is about 26 miles (42 km) north of the county town of Stafford, England Stafford. The town sits around 5 miles (8 km) west of neighbouring city Stoke-on-Trent, although the suburbs of the town run into those of the city. Newcastle is often unofficially considered to be an affluent suburb of the city of Stoke-on-Trent, both form part of an area known as ''The Potteries''. In the 2001 census the town had a population of 74,427. The larger Newcastle-under-Lyme (borough) borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme has a population of 122,000. The town was selected for the campus of University College of North Staffordshire in 1949, which was granted full university status as Keele University in 1962. Keele University is situated close to the village of Keele, just west of Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre. A significant number of students attending Keele University live in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Newcastle's industries include: construction materials, apparel, computers, publishing, electric motors, and machinery. In 1944, the Rolls-Royce plc Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce Derwent Derwent jet engine for the Gloster Meteor were made here.

History
The town grew up around a 'new' castle which was built by the Normans in the 12th century, ruins of which still survive, and was named "under-Lyme" due to its proximity to the former Lyme forest. Like neighboring Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle's early economy was based around ceramics pottery, and later also coal mining - both of which have declined in recent decades. Newcastle was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. In 1932 it took in what had been the Wolstanton United urban district, covering the parishes of Chesterton, Staffordshire Chesterton, Silverdale, Staffordshire Silverdale and Wolstanton, also taking the parish of Clayton, Staffordshire Clayton from Newcastle under Lyme Rural District. Newcastle was on the national canal network, but the Newcastle-under-Lyme Canal canal, running from the Trent and Mersey Canal at Stoke-on-Trent to Sir Nigel Gresley's Canal has been disused since 1935 and the vast majority of it filled in.

Churches
Newcastle has many places of worship including 'Newcastle's Faith' which is an old non-conformist place of worship, the 'Old Meeting house', connected to the church of St Giles'. For many years it has been used by the Unitarians, amongst whom were Josiah Wedgwood and his family. It is said monks had a secret passage in the church of St. Giles, but this is more folk-lore than fact. Newcastle is a Methodism Methodists stronghold, especially the Kidsgrove area. Catholic churches are many in Newcastle, most notably Holy Trinity, whose style is Gothic architecture Gothic in blue engineering bricks, described as... "the finest modern specimen of ornamental brickwork in the kingdom" at the time. Holy Trinity shares partisanship between Catholics and Protestants. The largest Baptist Baptist church in North Staffordshire is on the A34 in Newcastle, and has a lively, growing congregation.

Famous people
Newcastle's most famous son is Joseph Cook, who became Prime Minister of Australia. The town can also claim to have been the birthplace or schooling place of the novelists Arnold Bennett and Vera Brittain, and the poets John Wain and T.E. Hulme. Newcastle-under-Lyme is also the birthplace of Philip Astley, father of the modern day circus.

Culture
A carnival was held in Newcastle every May for 30 years, until 2005. The cost of staging the event (especially insurance) became prohibitive for the Council. Newcastle has over the years increased dramatically the number of pub pubs, wine bars and night clubs, and is known in the area for requiring a large police presence at the weekend. Newcastle now rivals Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, for its alcohol-based nightlife. There is also a small-but-vibrant town-centre live music scene with folk music, jazz, blues and heavy metal music heavy metal all catered for.

Education
Educational institutions include: * Newcastle under Lyme College, a Further Education college established in the 1970s * Newcastle under Lyme School, a private school established in the 17th century. The well renowned Keele University, situated by the village of Keele is only 3 miles outside of Newcastle, and the Keele University Medical School is based in the University Hospital of North Staffordshire grounds in Hartshill, bordering Newcastle.

Sport
The town is home to Newcastle Town F.C., an association football club, who currently play in the North West Counties Football League North West Counties Football League Division One Division One. The Lyme Valley area is also home to Newcastle-under-Lyme Cricket Club, Newcastle, Staffs Rugby Union club and the Newcastle Track cycling Track Cycling Association. Newcastle Athletic Club is based at the Ashfield Road Track.

External links

- Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council
- Newcastle Baptist Church Category:Towns in Staffordshire nl:Newcastle-under-Lyme fi:Newcastle-under-Lyme see Newcastle-under-Lyme

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