Newcastle-under-Lyme

Getting to Newcastle-under-Lyme

Stoke-on-Trent lies on the A500 "D-road", just off the M6 motorway, and can be reached by travelling southbound from Manchester or northbound from Birmingham. It is approximately 45 miles from both of these cities. It can also be reached via the A34. Those seeking the city centre by road should look for signs to "Hanley", once they enter Stoke-on-Trent.

1. 01
   Stoke-on-Trent

   This is a small but busy mainline railway station that has frequent inter-city services to most destinations in the United Kingdom.

Worth seeing

Stoke-on-Trent is historically renowned for its pottery industry (hence its nickname of The Potteries). Although the industry has suffered from cheap foreign imports and is now in decline, many of the major manufacturers of high-quality pottery still have headquarters in the area including Wedgwood. There are numerous factory shops dotted around the city, including the Potteries Shopping Centre, in Hanley.

1. 01
   Gladstone Pottery Museum

   A popular tourist spot for all the family and features numerous activities including a chance to see the famous bottle kilns of the city.

2. 02
   Middleport Pottery
3. 03
   Trentham Gardens

   A large public park area served by bus routes from the city centre (Hanley).

4. 04
   City Museum and Art Gallery

   Well worth a visit, housing a world-class ceramics collection and also a preserved Spitfire, in memory of its designer, Reginald Mitchell, a native of Butt Lane (near Stoke).

5. 05
   Etruria Industrial Museum

   Steam-powered mill which crushed bones and flints as raw materials for pottery.

6. 06
   Moorcroft Pottery

   Advance booking required 48 hours in advance.

Things to do

1. 01
   Festival Park
2. 02
   New Vic Theatre

   Important producing theatre on the boundary between Stoke and Newcastle.

3. 03
   Regent Theatre

   Piccadilly, ST1 1AP.

4. 04
   Mitchell Art Centre
5. 05
   Victoria Hall

   Bagnall St, Hanley, ST1 3AD.

6. 06
   Stoke Rep Theatre

   Excellent amateur theatre, hosts touring productions.

Where to eat

Staffordshire Oatcake looks like a pancake and is a mix of flour, oatmeal, salt, yeast and water. It's often served with melted cheese and a choice of sausage, bacon and tomatoes. The Rabbithole Tea Room, 9 Glebe St. Thu-Sun 11:30AM-4PM.

Getting around Newcastle-under-Lyme the local way