Newcastle-under-Lyme

Newcastle-under-Lyme, borough in Staffordshire, central England, adjacent to Stoke-on-Trent. It is a thriving market town that has attracted electronic and service industries. Its central location in the country and proximity to several motorways have made it a base for various distribution companies. Local factories also produce bricks, tiles, pottery, machinery, textiles, and foodstuffs; coal mining was once important but now the Silverdale colliery is the only working coal mine. Located in the borough are the 13th-century church of St Giles (rebuilt in 1876) and the University of Keele (1962). Newcastle-under-Lyme was officially granted borough status by Henry II in 1173: its name derives from a castle built in the 12th century, and from its proximity to the former Lyme Forest. The borough was enlarged in 1932 and again in 1974. Population 122,040 (2001).