Description:Once a small rural community, Goldenhill is now a suburb of the city of Stoke-on-Trent. It is situated just over a mile to the north of Tunstall. Standing at 700 feet above sea level it is the highest point in the city of Stoke-on-Trent. Goldenhill was part of the townships of Oldcott and Ravenscliffe, and the civil parish includes the hamlets of Latebrook and Line Houses.
The name Goldenhill means “the hill of gold”, from the Old English word ‘golde’. It may mean the hill where buttercups grow, an alternative name for buttercups being gold-cups, or possibly, the hill where gold was found.
Goldenhill does not feature separately in the Domesday Survey of 1086. However it is mentioned in the Tunstall Court Rolls in 1670 and it also appears on Plot’s Map of Staffordshire, dated 1682. However it does not feature separately in the Hearth Tax returns of 1666.
Goldenhill’s historical development was largely due to the impact of the Industrial Revolution in terms of both transport and industry. It was situated on the main road to Manchester and Newcastle- under-Lyme, which was turnpiked in 1763. The Trent and Mersey Canal passed to the west of Goldenhill and this enabled the transportation of both natural and manufactured products in and out of the Potteries. This was of particular importance for the fragile manufactured china which was exported both nationally and internationally. The building of the Harecastle tunnel at Kidsgrove led to the discovery of coal in the area. James Brindley, the canal engineer, built a branch canal connecting the Harecastle tunnel to an underground wharf at Goldenhill where he had a share in the colliery.
The Potteries Loop railway line, which was built in 1873, included a station at Goldenhill which opened in 1874.
The cottages at Line Houses were built directly over the Harecastle Tunnels and provided accommodation for the navvies working on the tunnel. The exact date of the cottages is uncertain but they were built in the early 19th century.
Coal, ironstone mining and pottery were the main industries for the area. The Goldenhill Colliery, which excavated both coal and ironstone, was owned by Robert Williamson in 1841, but by 1931 it had closed. Another small colliery was being worked at Gill Bank in the 1890s and there was opencast mining at Gill Bank Farm during the 20th century. Iron ore was being worked at the furnace at Latebrook at least in the early 19th century.
Pottery was also important to Goldenhill. Coarse ware pottery that could be used for general everyday use had been produced in the area from as early as the 16th century. A cream colour and porcelain ware factory was in existence for a short while but by 1829 it had closed and the factory was used for houses.
The church of St. John the Evangelist situated on the High Street at Goldenhill was built between 1840 – 41 by T. Stanley of Shelton. The church is built of brick and has brick detail in the Norman style. A vestry was added in 1880 but replaced in 1891. There were restrictions on burials at Goldenhill by 1856. However in 1930 new land was purchased from the Yew Tree House estate to extend the burial ground.
Christ Church Free Church originated as the result of the appointment of Reverend Osmond Dobree at St. John the Evangelist Church. The Reverend Dobree’s belief in the high church style of worship was different to local preferences and so Mr J. Henshall Williamson built a corrugated-iron church for worship and services began in 1874. This was replaced by a new church in 1944.
The Roman Catholic Church of St. Joseph situated on the High Street was built in 1951 – 53. Initially there was a school-chapel dedicated to St. Joseph in 1871 and situated at Brakespeare Street. It became independent in 1882 and a new separate church, at the end of the school, was opened in 1883.
Methodism had a strong presence at Goldenhill. A Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was built in the High Street in 1822 but was replaced by a new chapel in 1868. The Primitive Methodists were worshiping in the area from at least 1807, the chapel being built in 1833. However this chapel was too small for the increasing number of worshippers and so a new chapel was built in 1855 and a new Sunday School in 1876. The Methodist New Connexion Chapel was established in Goldenhill between 1892 and 1900.
Primary school education at Goldenhill was provided in the 19th century by a variety of church schools, Anglican, Roman Catholic and Methodist. Goldenhill Primary School moved in 1990 from its 19th century premises at Heathside Lane into modern purpose-built premises at Broadfield Road. Goldenhill Roman Catholic Junior and Infants School at Breakspeare Street was opened in 1871 and became a mixed all age school in 1951. Now known as St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School it is situated on Mobberley Road.
The supply of water in fast-growing industrial areas such as the Potteries was causing concern in the 19th century. There was insufficient clean water for drinking and a lack of provision of water against fire. The Potteries Waterworks Company was formed in 1847 to find ways to alleviate this problem. As Goldenhill was on higher land, water was pumped from a steam pumping plant in the High Street at Tunstall to a new reservoir at Goldenhill so that the water could be retained and more easily regulated.
To find out more about Goldenhill’s history, see The Victoria County History of Staffordshire: Volume VIII.