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Newcastle-under-Lyme
Newcastle-under-Lyme is a market town situated in Staffordshire. It is one of the largest towns in the area with a population of almost 74,000 individuals and the name refers to the site on which the city is situated being the home of a "new" castle constructed in the 12th century. The suffix of the Newcastle-under-Lyme name refers to the lime forests that covered the area during the mediaeval period. Newcastle-under-Lyme has an intriguing history, compounded by the fact that it is not mentioned in the Domesday Book but evolved some time later, growing up around the 12th century "new" castle.
Newcastle-under-Lyme saw a rapid period of growth as a charter was granted in 1173 by Henry II, and in 1235 Henry III granted a guild merchant and various other trading rights to the town. In modern times Newcastle-under-Lyme has fought fiercely to retain its independence despite urgings that it merge with surrounding towns in a similar way to how Stoke-on-Trent was formed. The economy of the town was primarily built upon trading in silk and cotton, and later coal mining, brick crafting, iron casting and engineering gained a firm foothold in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Interestingly the town was (and still is to a lesser extent) famed for producing hats, the hatting trade sprung up as a by product of the many cotton mills in the area and the town quickly established a reputation for itself in this field of expertise. The town maintains excellent transport links with surrounding regions thanks to the proximity of the M6 motorway and the A500, and there is a variety of attractions for tourists to explore. Both the traditional market that dates back to 1173 and the Queens Gardens along with Brampton Park draw many tourists to the town each year.
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