Stoke Prior, Worcestershire

Stoke Prior
Church of St Michael, Stoke Prior
Stoke Prior  Stoke Prior shown within Worcestershire
Population	4,559 (parish) (2001 census)[1]
OS grid reference	SO946672
Civil parish	Stoke
District	Bromsgrove
Shire county	Worcestershire
Region	West Midlands
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Bromsgrove
Postcode district	B60
Dialling code	01527
Police	West Mercia
Fire	Hereford and Worcester
Ambulance	West Midlands
EU Parliament	West Midlands
List of places UK England Worcestershire

Coordinates: 52°18′09″N 2°05′06″W / 52.3025°N 2.0849°W

Stoke Prior is a village in the civil parish of Stoke in Bromsgrove District of Worcestershire. The parish includes the settlement of Stoke Wharf and hamlet of Woodgate, along with neighbouring Stoke Heath.

History

In the 19th century, Stoke Prior was closely associated with the industrialist John Corbett. In 1853, after he had sold his share of the family canal business, he purchased disused salt works in Stoke Prior from the British Alkali Company. Corbett brought all the innovations of the industrial revolution to mechanise and commercialise the business, soon making his salt workings the largest in Europe and built a great fortune.

Economy

The Worcester and Birmingham Canal passes through the parish. In the 19th century, John Corbett turned the salt works in Stoke Prior into one of the largest in Europe. The tall chimney of the Stoke Salt Works was for many years a dominating landmark. Stoke Prior still houses the headquarters of LG Harris Ltd, a paint brush manufacturer (known locally as "Harris Brush" or just "The Brush").

Sports

Stoke Prior houses two football teams, Stoke Prior FC and Stoke Prior Youth FC, the main team being managed by Jamie Maycroft and the youth team being managed by Alan Banks. Both teams play their home games at Stoke Prior Sports and Country Club, with the adult team playing their games in the Bromsgrove and District Football League, whilst the youth team play in the Central Warwickshire Youth Football League.

Notable People

• Zoë Lister was born in Stoke Prior.
• John Corbett, the Salt King, buried in the churchyard of St Michaels, Stoke Prior.

Gallery

• 
  Gate to St Michael's Church
• 
  Harris Brush Works
• 
  Track in the fields
• 
  Stoke Prior Wharf

References

1. "Area: Stoke Prior CP (Parish): Parish Headcounts". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 9 March 2010.