Hednesford (/ˈhɛnsfərd/ HENSS-fərd (listenⓘ)[2] is a market town and civil parish in the Cannock Chase district of Staffordshire, England.

The town has seen progressive name evolution over the last millennium, with the name being variously documented as Ed(e)nesford, Adnesford, Hedg(e)ford,[4][5] and Hednesford.

[4] The first recorded mention of Hednesford dates back to 1153, when King Stephen granted an exemption of pannage dues to the small hamlet of Hedenedford.

[6] The town can be found on William Yates' 1775 map of Staffordshire (pictured), showing it as a small village with 13 buildings.

[5] Hednesford developed as a coal mining town in the second half of the 19th century, with the opening of the Uxbridge Pit.

To prevent this pit from flooding, the Cannock & Rugeley Colliery Company diverted the brook that fed Hednesford Pool (pictured on the 1775 map).

[8] Between 1914 and 1918 two army training camps were built in the area,[9] and over half a million British and Commonwealth troops passed through destined for the Western Front of World War I.

[12] Economically, Hednesford has experienced widespread changes since the 1980s due to the decline of mining and manufacturing jobs in the region.

[16] The town was awarded a £2.2 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2012 to refurbish Hednesford Park, including the construction of a new skatepark[17] and play area.

[24] No major rivers run through Hednesford, and the nearest large body of water is Chasewater, 3 miles (4.8 km) to the southeast.

[40] Of people in employment aged 16 to 74, 14.3% worked in basic industries (ONS categories A, B, and D-F including 12.2% in construction), 13.9% in manufacturing, and 71.8% in service industries (ONS categories G-U including 19.6% in wholesale and retail trade and vehicle repair, 11.9% in health and social work, 8.0% in education, 6.0% in public administration, 5.9% in transport and storage, 4.5% in administrative and support service activities, and 4.0% in accommodation and catering).

Commuters primarily travel to nearby towns and cities such as Lichfield, Walsall, Stafford and Birmingham.

[52] Amazon contracts a daily National Express West Midlands bus which runs from Willenhall to the fulfillment centre through Hednesford.

For example, the Cross Keys Inn opened in Hednesford as a coaching station in 1764,[59] and the building was Grade II listed in 1973.

[61] The town also has a Grade II listed Roman Catholic church, Our Lady of Lourdes, finished in 1934.

[62] The town also houses the Museum of Cannock Chase, built on the site of the former Valley Colliery.

[64] Hednesford lies 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the ruins of Beaudesert Hall, formerly one of the family seats of the Marquesses of Anglesey.

These provide connectivity to Cannock, Heath Hayes, Wimblebury,[70] Chadsmoor,[71] Rugeley,[72] Lichfield, Uttoxeter and Rodbaston.

[82] The town is located near Hednesford Hills Raceway, a stock car track built on the site of a disused reservoir in the 1950s.

[86] The town's most prominent sportsperson is former footballer Brian Horton, who played for the Pitmen in the late sixties and early seventies.

After a long professional career, he went on to manage Manchester City, Macclesfield Town and Port Vale amongst others.