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Coordinates: 52°41'14?N 2°01'35?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 the Cannock Chase district.
Cannock lies on the M6 Toll, A34 and A5 roads, to the north of the Black Country (about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi)) and south of Stafford (about 13 kilometres (8.1 mi)). 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.
[edit] 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.
Cannock railway station was closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching Axe. It reopened in 1989.
[edit] 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 92,500 inhabitants, increasing all the time due to its proximity to Birmingham and excellent travel links.
[edit] Notable people
Famous people from Cannock include
[edit] Sports
Cannock Hockey Club is one of the leading field hockey clubs in Cannock, and supplies England internationals.[citation needed]
[edit] Education
Cannock Chase High School is the largest high school in the area. Headed by Martin Bright
Kingsmead Technology College is another popular high school based in Cannock.
Cardinal Griffin Catholic High school is a popular catholic high school in the area.
Blake High School is another school in the district.
(Source: Wikipedia) |