Newcastle Under Lyme Mini Guide
Where is Newcastle-under-Lyme?
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town in Staffordshire, England, close to the city of
Stoke-on-Trent. It is in the ‘Potteries’ area of England, so named as in the last few centuries, the main industries were pottery and china. However, Newcastle-under-Lyme is best known for the manufacture of felt hats and clay smoking pipes.
How do I get There?
Driving is the best way to get to the town via the M6 and A500. Of course with a hire car you can explore much more of the local area than by public transport. There is no rail station in the town, although you can travel by train to nearby Stoke-on-Trent. There is a bus station in the town should you wish to explore the locality by bus.
What is There to do in the Town?
To discover more about the town’s history, see the life size Victorian street scene at Borough Museum and Art Gallery in Brampton Park. Then take a stroll in the award winning Queens Gardens. In the evening you can see a play or concert at the New Vic Theatre, one of few ‘theatres in the round’.
What’s the Shopping Like?
At Roebuck Shopping Centre you will find all your high street names and more. The best place for a bargain is The Stones Market on High Street, an open air market with over 80 stalls. It is held 6 days a week, but Tuesdays is for antiques and Thursdays for bric-a-brac.
Anything to see out of Town?
Spend a lazy Sunday afternoon at Slater’s Country Hotel in Maer, visit their craft village and have a traditional lunch with roast beef and vegetables at their village inn. You could also visit Biddulph Grange Gardens, a National Trust property, just outside of town. Further afield, you can venture to Alton Towers Theme Park or discover more about the ‘Potteries’ region by visiting the Wedgwood or Royal Doulton factories.
Where can I Stay?
Try the Ramada Hotel in Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is a modern 50 room hotel with free Wi-Fi and two restaurants offering Indian fusion and Mediterranean food. The hotel is ideally located to explore the Lyme Valley, with a hire car you can also visit Stoke-on-Trent and the Peak District.
The Potteries region would be an attractive holiday destination even without the historic pottery factories that dot the region. The Staffordshire countryside is attractive and the major cities of Birmingham, Nottingham,
Derby and Coventry are within an hour by hire car.
In the town itself, there is a daily market (except Sundays) that has been in operation now for over 800 years. There are many museums too in the region dedicated to the trade that made the region wealthy, despite Newcastle wanting nothing to do with the pottery industry.