Muslim tombs in Stapenhill

Stapenhill Cemetery is the biggest in Burton-upon-Trent - so big that it can have 'sections'. There is the Catholic section, the section for children's graves, war graves, and one for the Muslim dead.
The sections are not marked, or fenced off, which heartens me. Too often we like to separate people in death as we do in life - so it's good that everyone is here all together, I think.
These Muslim tombstones are particularly stunning, with the beautiful Arabic script on them.

Sadly, the three men who have died in the rioting that has swept parts of the country (but not Staffordshire) appear to be Muslim. It seems they were defending their homes when they were run down by a car.

Clay-pots caged

Pottery manufacture may have declined quite a bit in north Staffordshire, but we should remember that Staffordshire University still has a world-beating ceramics department.  It's much smaller than it was, and that just reflects the decline of the pottery industry.

Outside the department, the cages of used, empty plastic pots that contain the clay show that the students are expected to be hands-on.

End of Staffordshire

This is about as far south as you can get in Staffordshire. A few feet further and you'd be in Worcestershire.

This rather handsome border stone was erected on the towpath of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal, near Caunsley Bridge.

Fatality 'shrine' at Penkridge

Near Penkridge, on the Teddesley Road, you'll see this sad 'shrine'. It's dedicated to Lesley, who died in a car accident on this spot. The piece of paper says she died in 2002, so whoever looks after this spot has never forgotten. it always has fresh flowers when I see it.

You used to see a lot of these, though few are as permanent as this one. They are sad reminders of the cost of driving.
I don't know why, but there are not many now - perhaps because the number of fatal road accidents is decreasing (?)

See: BBC - Roadside memorials to accident-victims in Staffordshire

Floral Uttoxeter

'Britain in Bloom' time is upon us as I remarked a few days ago. The competition judges which towns and villages are doing their best to put on a florally attractive face.
The judges have been out and about for a few weeks now; and the results will be known in September.

Uttoxeter has certainly put on a show...

Vampyre for Slash

Slash, the guitarist who played with Guns & Roses, was born in Stoke-on-Trent (not many people know this).
So, when his tour brought him to the city, the local 'goth' shop, Revolte, put in this mannequin in their shop window as a kind of tribute; Slash is famous for his top-hat.

Of course, the mannequin has a vampire's fangs and unhealthy pallor, but maybe Revolte knows something about Slash that we don't.

Shakespeare in Stoke

This lovely mosiac showing William Shakespeare is the highlight of a tour of Stoke town centre. Yet, Stoke has been allowed to run down so much, that it's virtually the only highlight...

It was created as part of the erection of the original library building in Stoke in the 1870s, when Stoke really was an important place.
It is on the exterior wall, so very easy for the passer-by to see.

But look how run-down the old library building is now!
It just looks grubby and uncared for.
It's currently used by Unison, the trades union, and lies opposite the Sainsbury hyper-market.

But having said that about Stoke town, I do have a soft spot for it. It seems lively somehow; it has the definitive Titanic pub, White Star, and a wonderfully chaotic old records shop, Rubber Soul.

Stile for Wychnor dogs

A special stile for dogs in the countryside is a new one to me. This one, by the canal at Wychnor, means that the dog in question does not have to clamber over the stile, nor be carried over it, nor slip through some other way..
It works quite simply. You see the red handle on the left? It is attached at its end to a 'paddle'. When you raise the handle, up comes the paddle, and the dog slips through the hole.

I'm vaguely amazed. I was aware that we now have man-made under-road ramps to enable hedghogs to cross country lanes safely, but ... stiles for dogs ... Never seen those before.

Doulton deserted

The industrial area of north Staffordshire was - and sometimes still is - known as the 'Potteries', because of the importance  pottery manufacture used to play in employment. Not so any more. This photo of the once-famous, now derelict Royal Doulton works in Burslem is a good illustration of that.

There is still a lot of ceramics expertise in the area, and more small businesses in pottery manufacture than you might think - but the heyday is gone.

Whittington's fairy glen

This small wood near Whittington Hall in the very south of Staffordshire county (on the Worcestershire border) is known as 'Fairy Glen'.

I'm interested in why myths arise (see previous post!).
There are two possible reasons (I think) for the nomenclature in the case of Fairy Glen: the dappling effect in sunlight, and the sudden rise in the ground on on side, could lead an imaginative person to believe that there are small movements going on in the peripheral vision; and, secondly, it's a half-mile or so from the nearest farm, so anything could happen there in the witching hours... and you'd never know.
Yes, okay, even my 'reasons' are fanciful - but it's nice to ponder.