Waterhouses, Staffordshire

Waterhouses
Staffordshire
River Hamps flowing through Waterhouses
Location
Grid reference:	SK079505
Location:	53°2’59"N, 1°52’34"W
Data
Population:	1,134  (2011)
Post town:	Stoke-on-Trent
Postcode:	ST10
Local Government
Council:	Staffordshire Moorlands
Parliamentary constituency:	Staffordshire Moorlands

Waterhouses is a village in the south of the Staffordshire, in the fells of the Staffordshire Moorlands, the extension of the Peak District into this county. The village is around eight miles from Leek, Staffordshire and from Ashbourne, Derbyshire, about the halfway point between the two towns on the A523 road (which roughly follows the southern boundary of the Peak District National Park).

Also within the parish is a hamlet, Winkhill. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 1,134.

Village

The village of Waterhouses is on the River Hamps, a tributary of the River Manifold, and at the southern end of the track of the former Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway (now the Manifold Way, a walk- and cycle-path), which ran to Hulme End. Nearby is the Cauldon cement plant of Lafarge Cement, and a large Tarmac limestone quarry.

Waterhouses was served by a railway station opened by the North Staffordshire Railway on 1 July 1905, on the line from Leek to Waterhouses. Waterhouses was also served by a railway station which was opened by the Leek and Manifold Valley Light Railway on 27 June 1904, whilst being entirely operated by the North Staffordshire Railway. These two lines were next to each other. Due to the railway not being as successful as hoped and not utilised enough, it was later opened for tourists, but still failed to make a profit and was later closed and then turned into a cycle path.

About the village

The village stands on the edge of the dramatic scenery of the Peak Park, is a popular place for visitors to the area. It offers a doorway to the beauty of the Peak District, uninterrupted by traffic

Close to Waterhouses is Alton Towers, which attracts visitors to stay in the village.

Many footpaths head out over the hills, including such routes as the Manifold Way walking and cycle path and the Peak District Boundary Walk, which runs through the village.

The village is popular with tourists and has many great amenities available, The Crown - public house, a local Post Office, swimming baths, off licence / convenience store and the Riverside Cafe.

References

• Keys R and Porter L (1972) The Manifold Valley and its Light Railway, Moorland publishers