Penkridge offers three different reasons to visit: regular market days, historic buildings and walks on the Staffordshire Tolkien Trail. For planning, it helps to keep these highlights distinct. A market visit depends on a specific date, while the buildings represent different historical periods; for walking, the options range from a single circular route to three connected walks. This makes it easier to decide in advance what will bring you on your trip.
Markets and getting here
Penkridge Market holds two regular weekly markets throughout the year, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is also a monthly food and craft market. The two offerings differ mainly in their schedule: the weekly markets take place on two set days of the week, while the food and craft market is held once a month. If a market visit is important to your trip, plan your travel day around the specific date. Market and event dates may change, so check the latest information before travelling. That way, your plans are based not just on the general weekly schedule, but on the date that matters for your stay.
Penkridge railway station offers fast connections to Birmingham, Stafford and Liverpool. This may be relevant when choosing how to travel here or onward, if rail travel suits your plans. Check the current timetable before travelling, as services and connections may change.
Walking: from a circular route to a trail
The Staffordshire Tolkien Trail comprises three connected walks, covering more than 30 miles through the Staffordshire countryside and around Cannock Chase. This figure refers to all three walks combined. For a specific route, the Gypsy Green/Brocton Camp Walk is described in more detail: it is a circular walk starting at Penkridge Library. From there, the route follows the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and the Staffordshire Way to Gypsy Green, continues to Bednall, and then takes footpaths to Brocton. When planning, you can distinguish the trail as a whole from this specifically named circular walk. Trail conditions may change, so check the latest route information before setting out.
Buildings and local history
The historic buildings offer different points of reference for placing them in time. The Old Bridge in Penkridge dates from the 14th century. Cuttlestone Bridge is an 18th-century road bridge over the River Penk. It is built of ashlar and has five semicircular arches. Ashlar refers to cut stone blocks; the arches describe the shape of the bridge structure. Cuttlestone Bridge can therefore be considered not only in terms of its century, but also its material and design.
The Old Deanery is a house probably dating from the late 16th century, with sandstone ashlar and timber framing. The dated buildings thus span the period from the 14th-century Old Bridge, through the probable date of the Old Deanery, to the 18th-century Cuttlestone Bridge. St. Michael’s and All Angels Church in Penkridge is a medieval church, offering a broader timeframe than the specific century dates of the bridges. The Old Gaol in Penkridge Heritage Centre preserves local stories and adds another connection to the town’s history alongside its buildings.
Discover more destinations: Great Haywood, Tutbury, Ashley, Long Compton, Uttoxeter, Meerbrook, Hollington, Endon.
For the broader travel guide: Staffordshire.
