The Villas, Stokeville

The Villas is an estate of twenty-four houses located along the north side of London Road below Penkhull village on the outskirts of Stoke-upon-Trent, and within the City Ward of Stoke and Trent Vale. Originally a distinct settlement set in green fields, it now merges with the late nineteenth/early twentieth-century suburban sprawl of Stoke.

Most dating from 1851-55, The Villas were designed by a local architect, Charles Lynam, who was only 21 at the time of commission. Lynam became a prominent architect in Staffordshire, building for example the Minton Hollins tileworks.In designing The Villas he chose an Italianate style similar to other Staffordshire buildings such as Trentham Hall (now demolished) or Alton Railway Station.

In June 1850 a number of prominent inhabitants of Stoke formed themselves into an association which they called "The Stokeville Building Society". The purpose of the building society was to provide the means and the financial capability for its members to erect, and ultimately own, houses on copyhold land outside the town of Stoke-upon-Trent. The land belonged to the Rev. Thomas Minton, brother of Herbert Minton and son of the founder of Thomas Minton and Sons (later Mintons Ltd), pottery manufacturer of Stoke.

Conservation

Originally built in three distinct classes, all providing accommodation for servants to “live in”, changing times meant that many were subdivided by the 1940's.

In the 1950s Villas resident Arnold Machin received publicity in the national press when he protested about the removal of a lamp-post. The estate subsequently received the distinction of being the first designated conservation area in Stoke-On-Trent. Initially, only a couple of the houses were listed, but now The Villas contains the highest concentration of Grade II listed buildings in the city.

External links

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* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.997082,-2.192137&spn=0.003242,0.00972&z=17&key=ABQIAAAAdgPLadg4o4NiwA7MqdgANRQweVzhQO1YPNDqXPWzp9K_SCdqfhTjN7H57U8AXyIuGxI0Jtd5AQx71A&oi=map_misc&ct=api_logo Google satellite view of The Villas ]
* [http://the-villas.com/ Stokeville Building Society - Residents Association of The Villas]
* Images of England entries for house numbers: IoEentry|384493|1 & 2, IoEentry|384494|3 & 4, IoEentry|384495|5, IoEentry|384496|15, IoEentry|384497|17 & 17a, IoEentry|384498|18, IoEentry|384499|23 & 24
* [http://rhaworth.ucoz.net/photo/6 Nine more images]