Stourton, Staffordshire

infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Stourbridge
latitude= 52.46727
longitude= -2.20015
map_type= West Midlands
population =
metropolitan_borough= Dudley
metropolitan_county = West Midlands
region= West Midlands
constituency_westminster= Stourbridge
post_town= STOURBRIDGE
postcode_district = DY7
postcode_area= DY
dial_code=
os_grid_reference= SO865855

Stourton is a hamlet in Staffordshire, England a few miles to the northwest of Stourbridge. The nearest sizeable villages are Wollaston and Kinver, the nearest hamlets are Prestwood and Dunsley. It lies on the River Stour. The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and Stourbridge Canal meet at Stourton Junction, which places Stourton on the Stourport Ring, a navigable waterway popular with narrowboat holidaymakers.

Stourton is situated either side of the A458 road, at the junction of the A449 between Wolverhampton and Kidderminster. The Stewponey Hotel was formerly situated here until it was demolished to make way for housing. Stewponey is also a local name for the area.

Stourton Castle

Believed to be a medieval hunting lodge dating from the reign of King William II, Stourton Castle was known as 'the King's House' during the reign of King Henry II. [ [http://www.pastscape.org/hob.asp?hob_no=116687&source=textonly&period1=None&county1=Staffordshire&class1=None&hob_name1=STOURTON%20CASTLE&min_date1=ALL&max_date1=ALL&type1=&place1=stourton%20castle&page=first&recs_per_page=5&s_o=1&nmr=&defra= Pastscape Reference] ] The Castle was the birthplace of Cardinal Pole whose maternal grandfather, George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence was the brother of both King Edward IV, and King Richard III. Pole was the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury and his mother Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury was beatified in 1886 by Pope Leo XIII. The present house was remodelled and partially rebuilt in 1832-3 by Sir Robert Smirke for the industrialist James Foster. The 19th century main front incorporates a late medieval gate tower.

Stourton Park

Stourton Park is the homeground of Stourbridge R.F.C.

References

External links

* [http://www.stourbridge.com/htm/stour.htm River Stour]
* [http://www.swcs.org.uk/ Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal]
* [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/STS/Kinver/ Genuki Reference]
* [http://www.canaljunction.com/canal/staffs_worcs.htm S&W Canal]