Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox UK place

Handsacre is a village in the English county of Staffordshire.<ref name="EX244">OS Explorer Map 244: Cannock Chase & Chasewater: (1:25 000) :Template:ISBN</ref><ref name="OSWS">Map Details Template:Webarchive retrieved 11 April 2013</ref> Population details taken at the 2011 census can be found under Armitage with Handsacre

LocationEdit

The village lies east of the larger village of Armitage. The village is Template:Convert north-northwest of the city of Lichfield and is Template:Convert south east of Rugeley. The village sits astride of the A513 road which runs from Tamworth to Stafford.<ref name="AZSTAFF">- Staffordshire A-Z County Atlas: 2011 Edition: Scale:3.8 inches to 1 mile (5.9cm to 1km)Template:ISBN</ref>

Village servicesEdit

Handsacre has one shop, which is a convenience store. There is also a Chinese food take-away and a fish and chip shop. There are two pubs within the village. The public houses are called The Old Peculiar<ref name="OLDPEC">The Old Peculiar website Template:Webarchive retrieved 11 April 2013</ref> and The Crown.<ref name="CROWN">Crown Inn website Template:Webarchive retrieved 11 April 2013</ref> The Crown is adjacent to the canal and has a beer garden. The Old Peculiar is on the corner of Hall Road. The Poplar's Pub on Tuppenhurst Lane closed in 2008 and was demolished in June 2010. As of June 2011, twenty houses have been built and are currently occupied.

SchoolsEdit

The village school is called Hayes Meadow Primary School.<ref name="HMPS">School website retrieved 11 April 2013</ref> The school cater for children from the age of 3 plus, who attend the purpose built nursery unit, to the age of 11. The Headteacher is Sarah Sivieri.<ref name="HMPS"/> The school is also home to its PTA organisation, The Friends of Hayes Meadow (Charity number 1087977)Template:Dead link. The charity organises events such as Summer Fayres, BBQ's, Craft Fairs and the most successful fundraiser, the Santa Float. Events like these allow the charity to provide students with extra things such as climbing frames, play equipment, selection boxes etc.

PlaygroundsEdit

There is a children's play park at the end of Harvey Road on St Barbara's Road in the north easterly part of the village. The playpark was refurbished in 2009.


TransportEdit

The village is currently served 7 days per week by Chaserider bus services 826 and 828. These link the village with Rugeley and Stafford in the west direction, and Lichfield south east. Bus service 63, previously terminating at Rugeley, now extends via Handsacre linking the village to Hill Ridware, Rugeley, Hednesford, Cannock and Uttoxeter.

High Bridge crosses the River Trent on the edge of the village, carrying to the road to Mavesyn Ridware.<ref name="NHLE">Template:NHLE</ref>

Handsacre gives its name to Handsacre junction which will serve as the end to HS2 where it meets the West Coast Mainline for trains to carry on up north.

Trent and Mersey CanalEdit

The Trent and Mersey Canal skirts around the northern edge of the village. This canal was designed and built by James Brindley who died in 1777, before the canal was completed. The A513 road crosses the canal with the Crown public house next to the bridge designated bridge 56 here. This bridge is a little way west of two further bridges which cross the canal which are Grade II listed structures. these bridges are designated bridges 59<ref name="BLB2">Listed Structure status-Bridge 59 retrieved 11 April 2013</ref> and 60.<ref name="BLB1">Listed Structure status-Bridge 60 retrieved 11 April 2013</ref>

RailEdit

The West Coast Main Line runs through the village although the nearest railway station is at Rugeley which is Template:Convert to the north west. The new High Speed 2 rail line is planned to join with the West Coast Main line near Handsacre.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

PopulationEdit

Handsacre has a population<ref name="POPSTAT">Key Population statistics Template:Webarchive retrieved 11 April 2013</ref> of 5,355 people living in the ward of Armitage with Handsacre.

See alsoEdit

GalleryEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist Template:Sister project Template:Civil Parishes of Lichfield

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