Alstonfield Deanery is part of the Diocese of Lichfield. Within the Diocese we are part of the Archdeaconry of Stoke-on-Trent and our Area Bishop is the Bishop of Stafford, the Right Reverend Gordon Mursell. He shares oversight with the Archdeacon of Stoke, the Venerable Godfrey Stone.
The Deanery covers most of the Moorland area of North-East Staffordshire between the counties of Cheshire and Derbyshire. There are 15 parishes in the Deanery with 20 parish churches and other licensed places of worship (one of which is an Anglican-Methodist Local Ecumenical Project). There are 6 clergy (4 stipendiary incumbents, 1 Ordained Local Minister and 1 Non-stipendiary Minister) serving the area which has a population of just over 6,000 souls.
Most of the land is either in agricultural use or is undeveloped moorland. Agriculture and tourism are both important sources of work within the Deanery although there are also many commuters travelling to places as far afield as Nottingham, Walsall, the Potteries and Manchester and Paris. Cauldon is the exception being a quarrying and industrial parish with three quarries and a cement works and associated support industries. Other parishes also have coach and haulage firms and small pockets of light industry.
Farming in many parts of the Moorlands has not been sustainable as a main income for more than a generation. Many farmers operate lorries for the quarry, run bed and breakfast establishments or contract their services and machinery out to other farms. There is little arable farming, most land being
grazed by sheep and cattle (a few still for milking). Many small farms have been bought by incomers who use the land to keep horses. The population therefore has a much more varied background than it did half a century ago.
For the most part the churches in the Deanery are small and are typical of the Church of England in rural areas. Small numbers of worshippers work hard to further the mission of the church in their locality and the wider area. More details of our current work can be found by following the link to the Diocesan website.
Local people also work hard to maintain the buildings which we have inherited from previous generations and many of them are open daily or on a regular basis for you to explore and enjoy.
Whether you are just visiting this site, planning a visit to the area or have recently moved into the Moorlands we hope that you will enjoy spending some time with us.