The Staffordshire market town of Newcastle-under-Lyme developed around the twelfth-century castle and was granted a charter by Henry II in 1173. The town’s growth between the twelfth and eighteenth centuries was driven by industries including the hat-making trade and silk and cotton mills. Later industries included brick manufacturing, engineering, iron casting and coal mining.

In this book, local author Mervyn Edwards highlights fifty of the town’s buildings and structures that reveal its history, character and changing face across the centuries. No book on Newcastle-under-Lyme’s architecture would be complete without a critical analysis of the borough’s approach to building preservation and the gradual erosion of the town’s visual appeal. The town still offers some architectural glories, such as the art deco Lancaster Buildings, the elegant Unitarian Meeting House and the majestic tower of St Paul’s Church. Newcastle-under-Lyme in 50 Buildings highlights the treasured buildings of this Staffordshire borough.