Cannock, city (1991 pop. 54,003), Staffordshire, W central England. It was a mining town dependent upon the rich coal deposits of Cannock Chase until most of the mines closed in the mid-1990s. Cannock's other industries are metalworking and brick making.

Cannock is a town in Staffordshire, England, just north of the West Midlands conurbation. It sits to the south of Cannock Chase, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is administered as part of the Cannock Chase district.

Cannock lies on the M6 Toll, A34 and A5 roads, to the north of the Black Country (about ) and south of Stafford (about ). It is served by a railway station on the Chase Line. Its nearest towns and villages include Hednesford, Cheslyn Hay, Heath Hayes, Rugeley, Norton Canes, Great Wyrley, Cannock Wood, Bridgtown and Burntwood.

History

Its name comes from the Celtic cnoc, meaning hill. It is first recorded in the unlikely form Chenet in the Domesday Book, probably due to the information being written down by a Norman scribe with less than perfect knowledge of English.

The town was very small until coal mining increased heavily during the mid to late nineteenth century. The area then continued to grow rapidly with many industries coming to the area because of its proximity to the Black Country and because of its coal reserves. After the Second World War the town's population again increased and has kept on increasing ever since as many new residential developments are built as commuting areas for Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Stafford.

Cannock railway station was closed in the 1960s as part of the Beeching Axe. It reopened in 1989.

Demographics

In recent years it has become far more affluent and seen a population and housing increase, such as the new apartments built by the railway station and the ongoing housing development on the Cannock/Heath Hayes boundary. In keeping with the national trend, Cannock's housing is increasingly of a post-fordist era style, although various other periods of architecture are sited around the town, such as Shoal Hill and Wolverhampton Road. The United Kingdom's second largest populated city, Birmingham, can be commuted to by train in around 40 minutes.

Notable people

• Footballer Stan Collymore
• Richard Gosling (Strongest Man in Britain)
• Mel Galley (former Whitesnake guitarist/vocalist)
• Glenn Hughes (former Deep Purple bassist/vocalist)
• Robert Lloyd (vocalist in The Prefects and The Nightingales)
• Alan Apperley (Guitar player in The Prefects and The Nightingales)
• English Cricket Captain Kevin Pietersen played for Cannock Cricket Club.

Nightlife

Cannock Town Centre now has quite a reputation for nightlife, the town itself is home to many pubs, bars and one nightclub. The nightclub 'Silks' has recently been refurbished and continues its reign as Cannock's only full-time nightclub. Although Silks is strictly a nightclub, other bars such as 'The Forge Bar' and 'Stones' have got a great reputation for holding some of the best nights.

Sports

Cannock Hockey Club is one of the leading field hockey clubs in Cannock, and supplies England internationals.

Education

Schools in or around Cannock include Cannock Chase High School, Kingsmead Technology College, Cardinal Griffin Catholic High School, and Blake High School.