Monument Project Background.
With no monument existing on the actual site of Hopton Heath Battlefield Councillor John Hartshorne wrote to the Director of Development in September 2000 and again in April 2001, proposing that the Battle of Hopton Heath be marked by a permanent monument on or adjacent to the site. The battle was fought in 1643 during the English Civil War between Parliament and the King. The second letter was passed to the Borough Archaeologist. The idea appeared to have good potential and supported various policies of the council. The Borough Archaeologist therefore inspected the initial proposed site. The initial proposed site along Within Lane was rejected by Highways on safety grounds.
The second proposed site was in a position to the northwest, at a point marked by English Heritage as the Royalist Viewpoint. The second site was at the back of a verge along the Bridleway. Unfortunately with the land being privately owned an acceptable permission for the monument could not be obtained from the landowner for the construction of a monument.
Military Historical Society's Involvement.
The West Midlands Branch of the Military Historical Society on taking over the project from the Stafford Borough Council who had had to shelve it, contacted various other local landowners and another site in a favourable position within the confines of the battlefield, just off a public footpath was found, and a Planning Permission was granted on 18th October 2005. Due to Dave Cooper (the Branches project co-ordinator) having other commitments and with a lack of funds, Phase 1 of the project to dig and build a foundation only took place recently (see page 9).
