Burton upon Trent

Town in Staffordshire, central England, on the River Trent, northeast of Birmingham; population (2001) 43,800. A former cotton-spinning town, brewing is now the principal industry with five major breweries in operation; Marmite savoury spread is produced from the yeast by-products. Engineering, food-processing, and the manufacture of tyres and rubber goods are also important.

Gypsum deposits in the area make the local well water high in calcium sulphate, which is particularly good for the production of beer. The Benedictine monks of Burton Abbey (1002) began the town's tradition of brewing in the 11th century. The earliest-known reference to Burton ale was in 1295, it was noted in London in 1630, and commercial production began in the mid-18th century. The town expanded rapidly following the opening of the Midland Railway in 1839. A number of Burton's public buildings, including the town hall (1894), were presented to the town by Michael Bass (1799–1884), who became Lord Burton.