Stafford
| Stafford | |
|---|---|
Clockwise from top: Shire Hall, Stafford Castle, St Mary's Church, County Buildings, and Ancient High House | |
Location within Staffordshire | |
| Population | 71,673 (2021 census) |
| OS grid reference | SJ922232 |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Suburbs of the town | |
| Post town | STAFFORD |
| Postcode district | ST16-ST21 |
| Dialling code | 01785 |
| Police | Staffordshire |
| Fire | Staffordshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
| Website | staffordbc |
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Stafford (/ˈstæfərd/) is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, England. It is located about 15 miles (24 km) south of Stoke-on-Trent, 15 miles (24 km) north of Wolverhampton, and 24 miles (39 km) northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 71,673 at the 2021 census, and is the main settlement within the larger Borough of Stafford, which had a population of 136,837 in 2021.
Stafford has Anglo-Saxon roots, being founded in 913, when Æthelflæd, Lady of the Mercians founded a defensive burh, it became the county town of Staffordshire soon after. Stafford became an important market town in the Middle Ages, and later grew into an important industrial town due to the proliferation of shoemaking, engineering and electrical industries.