You may also enjoy the companion website: Burton Grammar School History
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Wulfric Spot founded Burton in 1004 as a Benedictine monastery and was granted an official charter by King Aethelred the Unready. Even in the 11th century, the town was well known for its ales brewed by monks at the first brewery. At its height, Burton was known as the ‘Brewing capital of the World’. Mention Burton-on-Trent to any outsider and ‘Beer’ is always the first association.

Burton upon Trent is an historic market town on the River Trent; its market history dates back to April 12, 1200, when King John granted a royal charter allowing the Abbot of Burton to host a weekly Thursday market.

The river running through the time defined the county line between Staffordshire and Derbyshire which presented many problems with its governance. The town was first incorporated as a municipal borough in 1878 and in 1901, it attained county borough status after reaching the required population threshold at the time of of 50,000, allowing it to manage its own municipal affairs independently.

The river splits and re-joins through Burton creating a number of islands and a huge flood plain which has the advantage that it can never be developed leaving a great expanse of natural landscape and public parks including Stapenhill park with its iconic white swan.

The Town Hall, not actually built for the purpose, is one of many building with a fascinating history, pretty much always associated with one powerful brewing family or another.