Leek, Staffordshire

Leek is a town in the county of Staffordshire, England, on the River Churnet. It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214. Today it has around 20,000 inhabitants, and is the administrative center for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

Related Topics:
County - Staffordshire - England - River Churnet - Royal charter - 1214 - Staffordshire Moorlands

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The town has had a regular cattle market for hundreds of years, reflecting its role as a centre of local farming. During the industrial revolution it became a major producer of textiles. Though this industry has declined somewhat, it has continued through the large number of clothing manufacturers in the town, and the prominence of dyeing and allied trades.

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Leek was the home of James Brindley, the 18th century engineer who built most of the canal network. He built a water-powered corn mill in 1752. This watermill is now the Brindley Mill museum.

Related Topics:
James Brindley - 18th century - Engineer - Canal - 1752 - Watermill - Brindley Mill - Museum

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William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement, lived and worked in Leek between 1875 and 1878.

Related Topics:
William Morris - Arts and Crafts

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Nearby Rudyard Lake is a popular tourist attraction and home to a narrow gauge steam railway running along its eastern shores. Other local attractions are Alton Towers and the hills of the Peak District.

Related Topics:
Rudyard Lake - Alton Towers - Peak District

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