Aerial view of Armitage Park, a mid-18th century house, was originally built by Nathaniel Lister. In 1839 it was bought by the widow of Josiah Spode III, who lived there with her son Josiah IV. The house was much improved by the Spodes, as were the gardens. Josiah Spode IV became converted to Roman Catholicism and when he died in 1893, he left the house to the Dominican Order.

The chapel was built by the Dominicans, who also built a priory here between 1896-1914 to the design of Edward Goldie. They named it Hawkesyard Priory. The organ case in the chapel dates from 1700 and came originally from Eton Chapel. The Hawkesyard Estate has since been developed and there is a Golf Club, Conference Centre, Wedding Venue and a Nursing Home. This postcard image was taken by Aerofilms and Aero Pictorial Ltd.

It's Museums Week this week, and here's a view of what was probably Staffordshire's first museum: Mr. Greene's Museum at Lichfield.

Richard Greene (1719-1793) was an apothecary who set up a museum at his house on the south side of Market Street. On his death, the collection was sold, and some was purchased by his grandson, Richard Wright, and displayed at 20 The Close, and later on Dam Street. Some items can still be seen at Lichfield Heritage Centre. The altar clock in the centre of this engraving can be seen at the Victoria Art Gallery, Bath.

Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in on Anson Street, Rugeley on 22 June 1897. On the left is the Market Hall and to the right can be seen Harris's ironmongers shop. From Staffordshire Record Office

Today is World Music Day. Here, a group of musicians are warming up to entertain day trippers to Kinver in about 1905. Image courtesy of David Bills.

A view north west along Market Street, formerly High Street, Longton, January 1962. The Focus Cinema is in the centre of the photograph and to its left the premises of Hughes and Harber, printers and publishers. The Focus Cinema, also known as The Criterion Theatre closed in 1962. One of many images from the Bentley Slide Collection recently added to www.staffspasttrack.org.uk . The Bentley collection is held at Stoke-on-Trent City Archives.

Staffordshire has a handful of megalithic monuments. Here's one of the more impressive ones, the Devil's Ring and Finger on the Oakley Hall estate, near Mucklestone, photographed in 1912. These two standing stones are probably Neolithic in origin, and may have formed part of a megalithic chambered tomb. They are no longer in their original position. They are both about 6 feet (1.8m) tall, and have been built into a field boundary.