Stone Heritage Centre Seeks Historical Artefacts to Tell the Town’s Story

The Heritage Centre in Stone is set to bring the town’s history to life, and Stone Town Council is calling on the local community to help. If you have historical items or memorabilia that could help illustrate Stone’s rich past, this is your chance to get involved.

Stone’s story is full of fascinating chapters—from its Anglo-Saxon origins to the bustling canal and railway era to the wartime efforts that saw American airmen billeted nearby. Now, the Heritage Centre is asking for residents to offer items for loan to help share these tales with future generations.

What the Heritage Centre is Looking For

The council is searching for artefacts that connect with some key themes in Stone’s history:

• Stone Before Stone: Items that tell the story of Anglo-Saxon Stone and the surrounding areas, including places with historic names like Chebsey, Eccleshall, Walton, and Moddershall.
• Medieval Stone: Anything from Walton’s mention in the Domesday Book to documents relating to William Crompton’s purchase of Stone Park in 1538.
• Communications: Items related to the town’s connection through roads, canals, and railways that transformed Stone over time.
• Keeping Order: Artefacts such as uniforms, documents, or memorabilia that reflect how order was maintained—including stories of the Stone Territorials or even the American airmen based in Yarnfield during WWII.
• Trade and Industry: The history of Stone’s industries, such as brewing, shoemaking, flour mills, flint mills, and local crafts and shops.
• Religion: Items connected to Stone’s churches and places of worship, such as St. Dominic’s Church, St. Michael and St. Wulfad’s Church, Christ Church, St. John’s Church, and St. Saviour’s Church.
  

The Heritage Centre is interested in a variety of items, from coins, maps, and documents to shop signs, ceramics, and local memorabilia. Every piece has the potential to add a rich layer of insight into Stone’s unique history.

How to Get Involved

If you have something you believe could be of interest, you can contact the Heritage Centre Manager directly by calling 01785 594767 or emailing HeritageCentre@stonetowncouncil.gov.uk.

Councillor Rob Kenney, Chairman of the Council’s General Purposes Committee, said:
“The Town Council are excited to showcase our town and its rich history to the residents and visitors of our community.

If you have anything that you think would be of interest to Heritage Centre visitors, please get in touch so we can arrange to display them.”

Guidelines for Items

Please be aware that the Heritage Centre may not be able to accept every item. Reasons for this could include the condition of the artefact, relevance to the current themes, or display limitations. More information about item requirements and guidelines can be found on the Town Council’s website at stonetowncouncil.gov.uk/heritage-centre.

Bringing Stone’s History to Life

This is a wonderful opportunity for Stone residents to play an active part in bringing the town’s rich history to life. Whether you have an old family document, a piece of local pottery, or a unique artefact passed down through generations, your contribution could be vital in telling Stone’s story.

By gathering these pieces of history, the Heritage Centre aims to celebrate Stone’s past not only for the benefit of the local community but also to educate and engage visitors from far and wide. Let’s help showcase what makes our town truly unique.