Audley, Staffordshire

Audley is a rural village approximately four miles north west of the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. It is the centre of Audley Rural parish.

Audley

Audley's Parish Church of St James
Audley
Location within Staffordshire
Population8,437 (2011)[1]
OS grid referenceSJ796509
District
  • Newcastle-under-Lyme
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townSTOKE-ON-TRENT
Postcode districtST7
Dialling code01782
PoliceStaffordshire
FireStaffordshire
AmbulanceWest Midlands
UK Parliament

The first mention of Audley is in the Domesday Book of 1086, when it was called Aldidelege, when the lands were held by a Saxon called Gamel. At this time, the area was very sparsely populated, and because of its distance from the major towns of Stafford and Chester there was little outside contact. There was a medieval castle at Audley Castle Hill during the late 13th century; only a low earthwork remains of the former motte. Excavations have yielded some stonework.

Thomas Audley, whose commemorative brass is in St James Church in Audley, was the son of the second Lord Audley, James (Baron Audley of Redcastle and Heleigh) and Elizabeth Lestrange of Knokyn. James 2nd Baron Audley's first wife was Joan Mortimer, daughter of Roger Mortimer. James's cousin Sir James Audley was Edward 'The Black Prince's' hero on the battlefield who was created 21st Knight of the Garter. Sir James's father was Hugh Audley Baron Audley of Stratton.

Audley is located on the B5500, the former A52 road. Just south of the A500, the village is approximately five minutes from the M6 motorway.

The parish church of St James is on Church Street, at the top of Wilbraham’s Walk. Christians have met together on the site of the present church building for nearly 1000 years. Part of the Lichfield Diocese of the Church of England, the church is linked to St John's, Alsager's Bank and St Martin's, Talke in a united benefice established by the Diocese. It is a Grade II* listed building,[2]

Leisure

Audley Theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary in April 2019. It produces a number of shows each year using the talents of volunteer members for all stage performances, behind the scenes and technical needs and all its front of house staffing. Selling Saturday morning hot drinks it offers somewhere to chat and a place to supplement it's running costs. It is a community theatre and offers other entertainment organisations a venue available to hire.

Sport

Audley has football, cricket and bowling clubs within the village.

For the 2010/2011 season the football club played in Division 1 of the Staffordshire County League Staffordshire County Senior League. Audley Cricket club play in the North Staffs South Cheshire Premier League North Staffordshire and South Cheshire League, which they won in 2007. Audley climbing centre offers a wide range of activities to the local area and Audley's Kent Hills cricket ground has hosted 3 Minor Counties games; v Shropshire in 2010 and v Suffolk in 2009 and 2006.[3]

Wood Lane cricket ground


Wilbraham's Walk, Audley

Schools

Notable residents
  • Robert Latham (1912–1995), academic and editor of The Diary of Samuel Pepys, was born in Audley
  • Ronnie Jepson (born 1963), footballer for Port Vale and Burnley

See also

References
  1. "Audley Rural Parish population 2011". Retrieved 3 December 2015.
  2. Historic England. "Church of St James  (Grade II*) (1038613)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  3. "Kent Hills Ground". espn cric info.
  4. "Home page". Thomas Boughey Academy. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  • Audley Parish Millennium 1000 – 2000 AD, ed. Robert Speake
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