View source for Biddulph

{{Short description|Town in Staffordshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2015}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|53.119151|-2.171922|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = Biddulph
| static_image_name = {{multiple images
| image1 = Biddulph 2023 015.jpg
| image2 = Biddulph Station - geograph.org.uk - 7541198.jpg
| image3 = St Lawrence's Church, Congleton Road, Biddulph (NHLE Code 1189902) (May 2022) (1).jpg
| image4 = Northern end of the High Street - geograph.org.uk - 1594875.jpg
| image5 = Biddulph Grange 2015 006.jpg
|align = center |total_width = 280|perrow=1 2
}}
| static_image_caption = {{ubl|Left to right: [[Biddulph Town Hall]], the old [[Biddulph railway station|railway station]], the High Street, [[Biddulph Grange|the Grange]] and [[St Lawrence's Church, Biddulph|parish church]]}}
| shire_district = [[Staffordshire Moorlands]]
| shire_county = [[Staffordshire]]
| region = West Midlands
| constituency_westminster = [[Staffordshire Moorlands (UK Parliament constituency)|Staffordshire Moorlands]]
| post_town = STOKE-ON-TRENT
| postcode_district = ST8
| postcode_area = ST
| dial_code = 01782
| os_grid_reference = SJ8857
| population = 19,892
| population_ref = (2011 Census)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11120689&c=Biddulph&d=16&e=62&g=6464917&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1449244628492&enc=1|title=Town Population 2011|access-date=4 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151209083303/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11120689&c=Biddulph&d=16&e=62&g=6464917&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1449244628492&enc=1|archive-date=9 December 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| civil_parish = Biddulph
| parts_type               = Suburbs of the town
| p1                       = [[Braddocks Hay]]
| p2                       = [[Brown Lees]]
| p3                       = [[Gillow Heath]]
| p4                       = [[Knypersley]]
| p5                       = [[Marsh Green, Staffordshire|Marsh Green]]
| p6                       = [[Poolfold]]
| p7                       = [[Woodhouse, Staffordshire|Woodhouse]]
}}
'''Biddulph''' is a former coal mining town and [[civil parish]] in the [[Staffordshire Moorlands]] district of the county of [[Staffordshire]], England. The town lies {{Convert|9|mi|0}} north of [[Stoke-on-Trent]] and {{Convert|5|mi|0}} south-east of [[Congleton]], close to part of the Staffordshire/[[Cheshire]] county border. In 2011 the parish had a population of 19,892.

==Origin of the name==
Biddulph's name may come from [[Old English language|Anglo-Saxon]]/Old English ''bī dylfe'', meaning "beside the pit or quarry". It may also stem from a corruption of the Saxon/Old English Bidulfe, meaning "wolf slayer", and the Biddulph family crest is a wolf [[Attitude (heraldry)|rampant]].

In the days of coal and iron, Biddulph was called Bradley Green, with the original site of Biddulph being the area in which the parish church, Grange House and the ruins of Biddulph Old Hall stand. It was not until 1930 that the town was marked on Ordnance Survey maps as ''Biddulph''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/home/pubs/the-bradley-green|title=Bradley Green, Biddulph|work=jdwetherspoon.co.uk}}</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Biddulph from Biddulph Moor, December 2020.jpg|thumb|right|Biddulph Valley, filled with fog]]
Biddulph lies in a valley between the ridges of Mow Cop to the west and Biddulph Moor to the east.

==Education==
In common with other parts of the area administered by Staffordshire LEA, the [[Middle school#United Kingdom|Middle School]] system operates in Biddulph.

The town has one high school (ages 13–16), with a [[sixth form]] (ages 16–18) called [[Biddulph High School]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.biddulph.staffs.sch.uk/|title=Home – Biddulph High School|work=biddulph.staffs.sch.uk}}</ref> it was awarded [[Sports College]] status in 2002 and has since gained [[Technology College]] status. Biddulph also has two middle schools: Woodhouse Middle School<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.woodhouse-middle.staffs.sch.uk/ |title=Woodhouse Middle School- Index |access-date=7 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207213707/http://www.woodhouse-middle.staffs.sch.uk/ |archive-date=7 February 2009  }}</ref> (formerly Biddulph Grammar School), and James Bateman Middle School<ref>{{cite web |title=James Bateman Middle School |url=http://jamesbateman.staffs.sch.uk/ |work=jamesbateman.staffs.sch.uk}}</ref> (formerly Park Middle School), serving pupils aged 9–13. These are fed by several first schools, including Kingsfield First School, Knypersley First School, Squirrel Hayes First School and Oxhey First School.

==Local media==
===Television===
Since the town is close to the Cheshire-Staffordshire border, local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC North West]] and [[ITV Granada]] that broadcast from [[Salford]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Over_Biddulph | title=Over Biddulph (Staffordshire, England) Freeview Light transmitter | date=May 2004 }}</ref> However, the town can receive [[BBC West Midlands]] and [[ITV Central]] through satellite television such as [[Freesat]] and [[Sky (UK)|Sky]].

===Radio===
The town is home to Churnet Sound, a community radio station that broadcasts in DAB across south Cheshire and North Staffordshire. Other local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Stoke]], [[Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire]], [[Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire]] and [[Moorlands Radio]].

===Newspapers===
[[The Sentinel (Staffordshire)|The Sentinel]] is the local daily newspaper. There is also the Biddulph Chronicle, a weekly newspaper, which is a sister publication to the [[Congleton Chronicle]].

==Main sights==
[[File:Biddulph Grange view along Dahlia Walk.jpg|thumb|Biddulph Grange]]
[[File:Biddulph Town Hall - geograph.org.uk - 1408911.jpg|thumb|right|Biddulph Town Hall]]

Within the valley created by the ridges of [[Mow Cop]] and [[Biddulph Moor]], the main sights of note include: ancient [[burial mound]]s; evidence of the [[English Civil War]]; the [[bubonic plague]]; the site of the former Black Bull [[Colliery]]; tombs of possible [[Crusades|Crusader]] knights; an [[Iron Age]] fort; and the site of a meeting of the [[Methodist]] movement with the Wesleys.

A dominant feature on hills above the village is [[Mow Cop Castle]], which is a folly built in the 1750s to look like a medieval fortress and round tower.

Biddulph is also home to [[Biddulph Grange]], a house and landscaped gardens owned by the [[National Trust]]. Adjacent to and part of the original estate is [[Biddulph Grange Country Park]].

[[Biddulph Town Hall]] was completed in 1965.<ref>{{cite web |title=Report to Cabinet |url=https://democracy.highpeak.gov.uk/Data/Cabinet/201506161000/Agenda/11.1%20Biddulph%20Town%20Hall%20Complete.pdf |website=Staffordshire Moorlands District Council |access-date=28 March 2024}}</ref>

==Transport==
===Roads===
Biddulph lies on the A527, which links it to Congleton in the north and Stoke-on-Trent in the south.

=== Buses ===
Two bus companies operate local routes:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biddulph bus services |website=Bustimes.org |access-date=9 August 2025 |url= https://bustimes.org/localities/biddulph}}</ref>
* [[D&G Bus]] runs services to [[Hanley, Staffordshire|Hanley]], Biddulph Moor, Congleton, [[Tunstall, Staffordshire|Tunstall]] and [[Newcastle-under-Lyme]].
* [[First Potteries]] operates a route to Hanley.

===Railway===
The nearest railway stations are at [[Congleton railway station|Congleton]] and [[Kidsgrove railway station|Kidsgrove]]; both are served by [[Northern Trains]], which operates a generally hourly service between {{rws|Stoke-on-Trent}}, {{rws|Macclesfield}} and {{rws|Manchester Piccadilly}}.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Timetables and engineering information for travel with Northern |work=Northern Railway |date=18 May 2025 |access-date=9 August 2025 |url= https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/timetables}}</ref>

The town was previously served by [[Biddulph railway station]], which was opened by the [[North Staffordshire Railway]] in 1864. It was a stop on the [[Biddulph Valley Line]] that ran from a junction just north of Congleton on the Stoke-on-Trent – Macclesfield line to a junction south of Stoke-on-Trent station. Passenger traffic was withdrawn from the station on 11 July 1927, but freight traffic continued until 5 October 1964.

There was also a canal rail interchange at Congleton Junction; the remains of the small dock on the [[Macclesfield Canal]] can still be seen. Parts of the station platform are extant and one of the original buildings is now a private residence. The trackbed now forms the [[Biddulph Valley Way]].

==Notable people==
[[File:James Bateman.jpg|thumb|150px|James Bateman]]
* [[James Bateman (horticulturist)|James Bateman]] (1811–1897) landowner and [[horticulturist]], developed Biddulph Grange
* [[Robert Bateman (artist)|Robert Bateman]] (1842–1922) painter,<ref>[http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2014/british-irish-art-l14132/lot.205.html   Robert Bateman, The Three Ravens", Sotheby's] retrieved 19 February 2018.</ref> architect and horticultural designer.
* [[Jack Simcock]] (1929–2012) painter,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Buckman |first=David |date=31 May 2012 |title=Jack Simcock obituary |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/may/31/jack-simcock |access-date=19 February 2018 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> studied at [[Burslem School of Art]], known for "''a long series of bleak, sombre oils on board''" of the Mow Cop area
* Professor [[Brian Scarlett]] (1938–2004) academic<ref>[http://www.hysafe.org/science/KareemChin/ProfBrianScarlett.pdf   Prof Brian Scarlett, Profile, World Congress in Particle Technology 2006] retrieved 19 February 2018.</ref> noted for his contributions to [[particle technology]]
* [[Joan Walley]] (born 1949) Labour Party politician,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Joan Walley, former MP, Stoke-on-Trent North |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/10619/joan_walley/stoke-on-trent_north |access-date=19 February 2018 |website=TheyWorkForYou}}</ref> MP for [[Stoke-on-Trent North (UK Parliament constituency)|Stoke-on-Trent North]] 1987–2015.

=== Sport ===
* [[John Archer (footballer, born 1941)|John Archer]] (born 1941), footballer, played 335 games for teams including [[Port Vale]], [[Crewe Alexandra]] and [[Chesterfield FC]]
* [[John Farmer (footballer)|John Farmer]] (born 1947) former footballer,<ref>[http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player4/johnfarmer.html   John Farmer, Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database] retrieved 19 February 2018.</ref> made 163 appearances for [[Stoke City F.C.]]
* [[Malcolm Bailey (footballer, born 1950)|Malcolm Bailey]] (born 1950) former footballer,<ref>{{Hugman|739|Malcolm Bailey|access-date=19 February 2018}}</ref> 174 appearances for [[Altrincham F.C.]]
* [[Phil Dowd]] (born 1963) retired<ref>[http://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=239  SoccerBase Database] retrieved 19 February 2018.</ref> football referee
* [[Rob Bailey (cricketer)|Rob Bailey]] (born 1963) cricket umpire<ref>[http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/8942.html  ESPN cricinfo Database] retrieved 19 February 2018.</ref> and former player for [[Northamptonshire County Cricket Club|Northants]] & England
* [[James Wilson (footballer, born 1995)|James Wilson]] (born 1995) footballer,<ref>[http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=75595  SoccerBase Database] retrieved 14 June 2021.</ref> plays for [[Northampton Town F.C.|Northampton Town]] and previously played for [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].

==Twin towns==
{{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in England}}
Biddulph is [[sister city|twinned]] with:
* [[Fusignano]], Italy<ref>{{Cite news |last=Biddulph Twinning Association |date=27 October 2022 |title=Twinning Group needs new blood |page=32 |newspaper=[[Congleton Chronicle]] |department=Chronicle letters<br>The king of Letter Pages!}}</ref>

==Freeman==
The following person was listed as a Freeman of Biddulph and when the title was bestowed.
* Tony Hall (2023)<ref>{{Cite news |date=27 April 2023 |title=Unique honour for veteran councillor |page=21 |newspaper=Congleton Chronicle}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Listed buildings in Biddulph]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}

{{Staffordshire}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Biddulph| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Staffordshire]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Staffordshire]]
[[Category:Towns and villages of the Peak District]]
[[Category:Staffordshire Moorlands]]