The area of Draycott-le-Moors, now known as Draycott-in-the-Moors, is a small locality, but one with a long and interesting history. The Romans had a base here.
An extensive history of the district, published in 2006 by the parish council, has been written by Matthew Pointon. Copies of his book ‘A History of The Parish of Draycott-en-le-Moors‘ are still available either at St Margaret’s Church or on application to the parish council clerk.
Old railway line, at Totmonslow
The area’s industry concentrates largely on farming – although the Blythe Colours Works were once sited here.
The old Colours factory has now been converted into the Blythe Park Industrial Estate, a site for a large number of small workshops and businesses.
An historic old railway branch line going to Cheadle, that once bisected the village (through Totmonslow and Cresswell), is closed; the tracks have recently (2012) been cleared. This old line met the Uttoxeter-Stoke main line at Cresswell.
This main line still carries services and passes through Cresswell but doesn’t stop here. Nearest stations now are Uttoxeter and Blythe Bridge.
Some links to webpages about the area’s history
A Brief Account of Draycott on stokeuk
Recent History of Draycott – on the BBC Domesday Project
Draycott: Place Guide on staffordshire.gov.uk
Draycott Archives at Staffordshire Record Office
Draycott in the Moors History – on Genuki
Memorial Inscriptions in Draycott – on Genuki
Draycott in British History – on Vision of Britain website
Draycott Parish in British History – on Vision of Britain website
Pictures of old Draycott – on Staffordshire Past Track
Listed Buildings in Draycott le Moors – on British Listed Buildings
Some books about the area’s history
‘A History of The Parish of Draycott-en-le-Moors’ (2006) by Matthew E Pointon. Cost is £10 – on application to the local parish council clerk
‘Painsley – A History of Cresswell’s Roman Catholic Community’ (1973, reprinted 2005) by Fr Philip Bailey SCJ. This booklet is now out of print, but St Mary’s Church, where Fr Bailey was priest for a stint, hope to reprint it one day. A shortened version can be found on the web – click here (opens as pdf).
‘World War Two in Draycott Parish’ by Barry Phillips (2000)
A fuller list of books about the area can be found in Matthew Pointon’s book.
If you have comments about the history of Draycott-in-the-Moors, Draycott Cross, Cresswell or Totmonslow, please use the message box at the bottom of the page.
I am researching the English Civil War period, but have been unable to find the sources that link Ashenhurst with the searches at Paynsley Hall and the use of cannon(s) to make it surrender.
Could these be assumptions that have become ‘fact’ over time?
Any help would be appreciated.
Phillip Wheeler
Considering that my source in my book (‘A History of The Parish of Draycott-en-le-Moors’) was the ‘History of Catholicism in Cresswell’, then I can’t answer as he didn’t record his sources, but you could be right. I’ll dig around
Matt Pointon
Check out http://www.subbrit.org.uk/site/29/draycott-cross-colliery for photos and info on tunnel.
Mick Bettany
Yes, walk down the lane into the yard,with the pumping station on your left , go over the fence in front of you and down the embankment onto the railway route. Turn left and walk.
Mick Bettany
Hi there. is the pumping station the seven Trent pumping station? and is the pumping station the one through the gate – and is that where the tunnel entrance is?
regards Paul
There is no sign of the tunnel entrance on Harplow lane, just bomb holes where the entrance/tunnel has collapsed. These can be seen as hollows in the the banking on the RHS. A walk in the wooded area will reveal these; just look for the hollows in the ground. Remember this happened 80yrs ago,so it is grassed over and blends in with the natural landscape.
The tunnel entrance location is as follows.From Draycott head towards draycott cross;100yds before the cross roads on the RHS is an entrance with a gate parallel to the road which leads to the pumping station 100yds down the drive. The old rail route is at the side of the pumpstation ‘yard over the fence. Go down the slight embankment on to the old track route and turn left and walk a few yards to tunnel entrance.
Hope this helps.
Mick Bettany
I think everyone is at ‘cross lines’ here.
There were at least three collieries near Draycott cross. The railway tunnel was for Newhaden colliery on the cheadle side of the Cross – that changed to Newhaden pumps several years ago, but not sure what it is now.
If you go down Harplow lane from Cheadle road, 50 yds from the junction, you can still see ‘bomb’ holes in the bank on the right hand side which is where the tunnel collapsed.The other end of the tunnel is bricked up with locked gate. This is still easily seen if you follow the old course of the rail-line – which can be got to by going down the lane to the pumping station. Easy to see on Google maps.
Mick Bettany
I read with interest regarding the large part Matt undertook in compiling the History of Draycott Parish. Well done Matt. I contributed a section about WW11 in Draycott Parish complete with pictures of the American Military prescence in Cresswell during that period.
My research involved travelling to the United States to meet US Veterans who had served here during the war. I was able to build up a picture of what it was like for these men.
I eventually played host to three veterans who visited me here in Cresswell, and like wise I visited two of them in the USA during my trips.
One of my hobbies was collecting military records of famous US servicemen, and over the years was able to obtain the seperation (demob) record of no other than Clark Gable.. Signing the demob form is Capt Ronald Reagan of the US Air Corp.
The records of the American presence and local connections can be verified by the fact that the Americans are recorded in old registers held by the parish Council showing that the Yanks provided a Christmas Party for the children of the parish at Draycott Manor CP School in 1943.
When I obtained the Unit histories of those American Units it had been recorded that the troops from Cresswell had forgone some of their rations in order that the children could have a Christmas Party.
I’m also aware that amongst school registers held by the Parish Council there are seperate lists of evacuee children recorded alongside their teachers and these people came from Kent.
Bazo
Hi there. I’ve looked on google maps and followed harplow lane and cannot see the colliery tunnel entrance. are you sure you can clearly see the tunnel entrance?
regards Paul Barnes
I am researching Sir Philip Draycott, Painsley Hall and William Draycott (born 11th April 1681) descended from Draycotts of Bainsby and Draycotts of Staffs. He was grandfather of Anna Maria Draycott.
Would welcome any history on Painsley Hall. I read there used to be a painting of the Hall..
Part of the family split from RC to Protestant – but would like to know the year this took place.
Has any one information about Susanne Draycott marrying Squire Bartholomew Burkey (Burkett) of Isel Hall, Cumberland?
Rose Birkett Reynolds (please email me if you can, or press the Reply button above to comment here on the website)
Had someone knock at the door couple of weeks ago asking about Paynsley farm – their ancestors had were linked to it in some way – anyone able to follow it up?
Maureen Myers
Does anyone have a copy of the history of Draycott and St Margerats that was written up in the 60′s or 70′s.It was written by the rector at the time but was only 4-5 sheets of typed script.I used to have a copy but it has got lost over the years.It contained a lot of information that current historians might find interesting.
I have a copy and used it when writing the book. However, some of the scholarship was iffy and annoyingly he never recorded his sources so it’s not as much use as you’d think, although it does stand out as being the first ever written history of the church. Similarly, there was another account written in the 1960s about the Catholic community in Cresswell by a priest but that suffers from the same problems. A fascinating read nonetheless.
Matt
As far as I can recall,the tunnel was in use untill after the pits(Newhaden and other pit across the road towards Boundary)both became uneconomic to run,many workers went on to Florence colliery.The tunnel collapsed and was not reopened,it had collapsed before.The line branches 1 mile north of Totmonslow bridge,one line to Newhaden,the other to Cheadle and quarries?
The railway ran from Cresswell to Cheadle. It originally ran through a short tunnel but in the 1930s a diversion was built as the tunnel kept collapsing. The entire route save for the last few hundred metres in Chealde can be followed. One end of the tunnel is still visible but the other now buried.
The rail line was to take coal from Newhaden colliery to the main railway at Cresswell.My father was an electrician at Newhaden and showed me the collapsed/bricked entrance at Newhaden side. As kids we went into the tunnel as a dare,it was bricked up with a cage door,but was never locked.
I also remember in the 70′s gravel trains using the line,possibly from Hilton gravel works near Threapwood.
Mick Bettany
To get to New haden, or even to Cresswell, from Threapwood, there must have been a small track running from Cheadle to Oakamoor (where the North Staffs railway had a station). I’ve not heard of such an extension… but do you think it was possible?
No, there was never a railway running from Cheadle to Oakamoor. The Cheadle Railway started at Cresswell, swung round to Totmonslow and then swung back to where the Severn Trent water place is near to Draycott Cross. Then it went through a short tunnel and came out near to New haden Colliery which it also served before entering Cheadle and having its terminus near to where the high school now is. Due to problems with the tunnel, in the 1930s a diversion was built which rounded the hill. The details can all be read in Allan C. Baker’s book ‘The Cheadle Railway’.
That said there were many other tramroads in the area. Tramroads are narrow-gauge lines, often horse-drawn that served industrial concerns. There were several around the New Haden pits and one which stretched the Parkhall Colliery just south of Cheadle that can still be clearly traced. Some of these tramroads were really old, predating the railways considerably and one did connect Cheadle with the Churnet Valley, though not at Oakmoor, but between there and Froghall. It was called the Woodhead Tramroad and was built around 1807. It can be traced for its entire route and incorporated a rather spectacular incline plane to get down into the valley. Allan C. Baker’s book ‘The Cheadle Collieries and their Railways’ is an excellent place to look if you’re interested in all this and it also covers Foxfield which was built as a colliery line. Alternatively, I have done a lot of research on the topic which I am happy to discuss.
Regards,
Matt
Could you please tell me the exact location of the former draycott cross colliery entrance?
Regards Paul B
Easy, when the colliery was closed, (it was never productive really, although others in the area were), it was bought by the Staffordshire Potteries Water Board who flooded the shafts and galleries and used it as a water storage facility. And so the location of the head stacks were exactly where the Severn Trent building stands to this day.
And could you please tell me the exact location of the draycott cross tunnel line – which turned into Draycott cross colliery?
regards Paul Barnes
The Draycott Arms pub (sadly closed at the moment) displays this sign, which I presume is the arms of the ancient local landowners, the Draycot(t) family. Or is it the arms of the village?
Draycott Arms pub-sign
Does anyone know what the symbols on it represent?
There is a cross in the top left corner of the shield, and then, there appears to be blue cross-hatching on a yellow-ish background.
Oddly, if you go round the back of the pub, there is another version of this sign, but where the colours are all different. What are the correct colours?