Alton Village

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Date:1930 - 1935 (c.)

Description:The village dates from Saxon times and was originally known as 'Alverton'. There has long been a diverse religious tradition in Alton, with four non-conformist chapels existing at one time in addition to the Church of England and Roman Catholic churches. Among the traditions celebrated in the village were 'All Souls Day' on 2nd November, when children would knock on doors and sing a rhyme hoping for some reward, and 'Oak and Nettle Day', 29th May, when young boys would gather bunches of nettles and sting the legs of anyone who wasn't wearing a sprig of oak leaves. This latter tradition was to commemmorate the return of Charles II from exile, and the restoration of the monarchy. The main employer for Alton people was, before World War II, Thomas Bolton's copper works at Oakamoor and Froghall. Since 1960, when the railway line closed, villagers have been employed in various industries and businesses.
The village's population grew when new estates were built in the 1970s, and the subsequent popularity of Alton Towers leisure park has since boosted the desirability of the property in the village.

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Donor ref:View Alton (169/27223)

Source: Mrs Helen Frost

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