Stafford’s origins are steeped in Anglo-Saxon history. According to legend, it was founded around 700 AD by an exiled prince named Bertelin, who established a hermitage on a marshy island named Betheney. The settlement's formal recorded history began in 913 AD when Æthelflæd, the 'Lady of the Mercians' and daughter of Alfred the Great, fortified the town with an earthen rampart to defend against Danish invaders, officially creating a *burh* (fortified settlement).
Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, William the Conqueror ordered the construction of Stafford Castle in 1070 to control the rebellious local population. The castle, initially built of timber and earth and later rebuilt in stone, became the seat of the powerful Stafford family. During the English Civil War in the 17th century, the town was captured by Parliamentarian forces under Sir William Brereton, leading to the demolition of the town's defensive walls and portions of the castle to prevent them from being used by Royalists.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, Stafford transitioned into an industrial center, becoming globally famous for its boot and shoe industry. Local figures like Richard Brinsley Sheridan, a famous playwright and the town's Member of Parliament, helped raise Stafford's profile. The arrival of the railway in the 1830s further accelerated growth, cementing Stafford's role as a vital transport and manufacturing hub.
While the shoe industry declined in the mid-20th century, the town successfully pivoted. The establishment of heavy electrical engineering (originally by English Electric, later GEC and Alstom) and its enduring status as the administrative heart of Staffordshire have ensured Stafford's continued relevance and prosperity into the modern era.