Handsacre is a village in the English

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation ''Staffs''.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It borders Cheshire to the north-west, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, ...

.OS Explorer Map 244: Cannock Chase & Chasewater: (1:25 000) :Map Details
retrieved 11 April 2013 Population details taken at the 2011 census can be found under Armitage with Handsacre

Location

The village lies east of the larger village of Armitage. The village is north-northwest of the

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

Lichfield Lichfield () is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Staffordshire, England. Lichfield is situated south-east of the county town of Stafford, north-east of Walsall, north-west of ...

and is south east of

Rugeley Rugeley ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the Cannock Chase District, in Staffordshire, England. It lies on the north-eastern edge of Cannock Chase next to the River Trent; it is north of Lichfield, southeast of Stafford, northeast of ...

. The village sits astride of the A513 road which runs from Tamworth to

Stafford Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, England. It is located about south of Stoke-on-Trent, north of Wolverhampton, and northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 71,673 at the 2021–2022 United Kingd ...

.- Staffordshire A-Z County Atlas: 2011 Edition: Scale:3.8 inches to 1 mile (5.9cm to 1km)

Village services

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''The Old Peculiar website
retrieved 11 April 2013 and ''The Crown''. Crown Inn website
retrieved 11 April 2013 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.

Schools

The village school is called Hayes Meadow Primary School.School website
retrieved 11 April 2013 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. The school is also home to its PTA organisation, The Friends of Hayes Meado
(Charity number 1087977)
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.

Playgrounds

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.

Transport

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 The Trent is the third Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, longest river in the United Kingdom. Its Source (river or stream), source is in Staffordshire, on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through and drains the North Midlands ...

on the edge of the village, carrying to the road to Mavesyn Ridware. 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 Canal

The Trent and Mersey Canal skirts around the northern edge of the village. This canal was designed and built by

James Brindley James Brindley (1716 – 27 September 1772) was an English engineer. He was born in Tunstead, Derbyshire, and lived much of his life in Leek, Staffordshire, becoming one of the most notable engineers of the 18th Century. Born in the Peak ...

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 In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...

structures. these bridges are designated bridges 59Listed Structure status-Bridge 59
retrieved 11 April 2013 and 60.Listed Structure status-Bridge 60
retrieved 11 April 2013

Rail

The

West Coast Main Line The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important railway corridors in the United Kingdom, connecting the major cities of London and Glasgow with branches to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh. It is one of the busiest ...

runs through the village although the nearest railway station is at

which is to the north west. The new

High Speed 2 High Speed 2 (HS2) is a high-speed railway which has been under construction in England since 2019. The line's planned route is between Handsacre – in southern Staffordshire – and London, with a Spur line, branch to Birmingham. HS2 is to ...

rail line is planned to join with the West Coast Main line near Handsacre.

Population

Handsacre has a populationKey Population statistics
retrieved 11 April 2013 of 5,355 people living in the ward of Armitage with Handsacre.

Gallery

File:Handsacre Methodist Church - geograph.org.uk - 204068.jpg, Handsacre Methodist Church File:Bridge No 59, Trent and Mersey Canal near Handsacre, Staffordshire - geograph.org.uk - 1001540.jpg, Trent and Mersey Canal at Handsacre File:Bridge 59, Handsacre - geograph.org.uk - 843362.jpg, Grade II listed Bridge 59

References

{{authority control Villages in Staffordshire Lichfield District