Cannock

 

(kăn'ək) , city (1991 pop. 54,003), Staffordshire, W central England. It was a mining town dependent upon the rich coal deposits of Cannock Chase until most of the mines closed in the mid-1990s. Cannock's other industries are metalworking and brick making.

Cannock
Cannock shown within Staffordshire
Population	65,022
OS grid reference	SJ983099
Parish	Cannock Wood
District	Cannock Chase
Shire county	Staffordshire
Region	West Midlands
Constituent country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Walsall
Postcode district	WS11-WS12
Dialling code	01543
Police	Staffordshire
Fire	Staffordshire
Ambulance	Staffordshire
UK Parliament	Cannock Chase
European Parliament	West Midlands
List of places: UK • England • Staffordshire

Coordinates: 52°′″N 2°′″W / 52.6871, -2.0265

Cannock is a town in Staffordshire, England, just north of the West Midlands conurbation. It sits to the south of Cannock Chase, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is administered as part of Cannock Chase district.

Cannock lies on the M6 Toll, A34 and A5 roads, to the north of the Black Country (about 11 km) and south of Stafford (about 13 km). It is served by a railway station on the Chase Line. Its nearest towns and villages include Hednesford, Cheslyn Hay, Heath Hayes, Rugeley, Norton Canes, Great Wyrley, Cannock Wood, Bridgtown and Burntwood.

History

Its name comes from the Celtic cnoc, meaning hill. It is first recorded in the unlikely form Chenet in the Domesday Book, probably due to the information being written down by a Norman scribe with less than perfect knowledge of English.

The town was very small until coal mining increased heavily during the mid to late nineteenth century. The area then continued to grow rapidly with many industries coming to the area because of its proximity to the Black Country and because of its coal reserves. After the Second World War the town's population again increased and has kept on increasing ever since as many new residential developments are built as commuting areas for Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Stafford.

Demographics

In recent years it has become far more affluent and seen a population and housing increase, such as the new apartments built by the railway station and the ongoing housing development on the Cannock/Heath Hayes boundary. In keeping with the national trend, Cannock's housing is increasingly of a post-fordist era style, although various other periods of architecture are sited around the town, such as Shoal Hill and Wolverhampton Road.The United Kingdom's second largest populated city, Birmingham, can be commuted to by train in around 40 minutes. Cannock's population currently stands at 60000 inhabitants (last census), with it increasing all the time due to its proximity to Birmingham and excellent travel links. The growth of the town has led to supermarket chain ASDA building a store in the town, on the site of the old community centre, which opened in November 2006.

Notable people

Famous people from Cannock include footballer Stan Collymore, Richard Gosling (Strongest Man in Britain), Mel Galley (former Whitesnake guitarist/vocalist), Glenn Hughes (former Deep Purple bassist/vocalist), Robert Lloyd (vocalist in The Prefects and The Nightingales).

The American pop singer Tiffany now lives in the town, having married a local businessman.^{[citation needed]}

The Mother of the actor Roger Moore used to live in the Shoal Hill area of Cannock Chase

Steve Bull, the veteran Wolverhampton Wanderers striker, lived in Cannock during his marriage.

Sports

Cannock Hockey Club was once one of the leading field hockey clubs in the country, and once supplied England internationals.^{[citation needed]}

Culture

Music

Cannock is home to a small band scene, with genres ranging from indie rock to pop punk and to hardcore and metalcore, the latter being arguably most prominent, with bands such as Hands Of Hate[1], NeverSayDie[2] and Ortega[3] being prominent headliners and of the "bigger" bands in the area, having also played all over England and parts of the UK.

Popular venues include the St Luke's Church Hall, the Avon Centre[4], Edward Street WMC (located in neighbouring village Chadsmoor) and The Churchill Victoria (The "Vic," located in neighbouring town Hednesford). Cannock venues have hosted many bands of differing popularity from all over the UK, even with bands from America coming to play, such as Mychildren Mybride (USA)[5], Flood of Red (Scotland), Eternal Lord and Battle for Ozzfest stars Beyond All Reason[6].

The Cannock Highland Pipe Band [7] are a band set up to give everyone the chance to hear and play the Scottish Highland Bagpipes.

Education

Cannock Chase High School is the leading school in the area, headed by Nick Hooper.
Kingsmead Technology College is based in Cannock.

Ceremonial county of Staffordshire
Unitary authorities	Stoke-on-Trent
Boroughs/Districts	Cannock Chase • East Staffordshire • Lichfield • Newcastle-under-Lyme • South Staffordshire • Stafford • Staffordshire Moorlands • Tamworth
Cities/Towns	Biddulph • Burntwood • Burton upon Trent • Cannock • Cheadle • Eccleshall • Hednesford • Kidsgrove • Leek • Lichfield • Newcastle-under-Lyme • Penkridge • Rugeley • Stafford • Stoke-on-Trent (Burslem • Fenton • Hanley • Longton • Stoke • Tunstall) • Stone • Tamworth • Uttoxeter See also: List of civil parishes in Staffordshire

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