Stafford
Stafford is the county town of the ceremonial county of Staffordshire in England. It is situated around 16 miles (26 km) north of Wolverhampton, 18 miles (29 km) south of Stoke-on-Trent and 24 miles (39 km) north-west of Birmingham.
| Stafford | |
|---|---|
 Stafford town centre | |
  Stafford | |
| Location within Staffordshire | |
| Population | 68,472 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SJ922232 |
| Unitary authority | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | STAFFORD |
| Postcode district | ST16 - ST21 |
| Dialling code | 01785 |
| Police | Staffordshire |
| Fire | Staffordshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
The town's 2011 population of 68,472 makes it the fifth largest town in Staffordshire by population, behind Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Burton-upon-Trent.
The name Stafford means "ford" by a "staithe" (a landing place).
Stafford knot
changeThe town is famous for the Stafford knot, sometimes called the Staffordshire knot. It is a distinctive three-looped knot that is the traditional symbol of Staffordshire and Stafford itself. It is used by many local organisations on logos and buildings and also gives its name to a pub.
Transportation
changeThe town has a busy railway station on the West Coast Main Line. The station provides direct local trains to Crewe, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Manchester, longer-distance trains to London, Carlisle, Glasgow and Edinburgh, and cross-country trains to Manchester and Bristol.
Sports
changeThe town has a semi-professional football club, Stafford Rangers, who currently compete in the Northern Premier League Division One North West. They play their home games at Marston Road.