The old name for Stirchley was Strutley Street. The “ley” part usually refers to a clearing and the “Strut” part usually relates to a street, and a Roman street at that, so Stirchley was a clearing by a road. Why Stirchley was named twice though – clearing-by-the-street street – is unknown. Maybe it was to reinforce that there was a road here, for anyone who hadn’t noticed. And there definitely was, and still is, a very straight road which leads from …
Stirchley is only a relatively recent addition to any map of the area. The earliest known map showing Stirchley as a distinct place is from 1814 (see below), where it’s spelt “Straitland Street”, and there was (and is) an incredibly straight piece of road which leads from the settlement of “Straitland Street” down to Breedon Cross. This road is thought, with some debate, to be a section of the Roman road of Icknield or Ryknield Street.
An early …
Today, Rowheath is a community-based organisation set around Rowheath Pavilion Church. At the centre is the Rowheath Pavilion building surrounded by green space and sports facilities, opened in July 1924. Before the area around became built up, Rowheath was a piece of farmland between Rowheath Farm, the farm building situated on Oak Farm Road, and Haygreen Farm, on Haygreen Lane. The Rowheath land had an old public footway running north-east through it, which later became Heath Road, and another …
Roman roads of Britain.
Place names can tell us a lot about the history of where we live. They can tell us what a place looked like in the past, how it was used, who lived there, or important events which happened there. Place names can reveal layers of history going back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Many permanent landmarks, such as rivers or hills or have Celtic names, and help us to understand that although our landscape changes, the land we walk on has been walked on for generations. Place names help to bring the past to life.…
One of the first museums.
This is a great activity for learning historical skills and heritage processes, which can also support literacy and art. It’s designed to spark creativity and encourage curiosity about the past and the objects held by museums.
Tees Valley Museums have created a “Museum in Your Classroom” toolkit to support schools. It includes inspiration, templates, resources and case studies to spark the imagination.
This activity can focus on a visit to a local museum, or children recalling a museum that they have visited with family. Children can be asked to remember …
