 Historically, three main factors have influenced the position of and development of Baldwins Gate village.The building of the Grand Junction railway line in 1837, including Whitmore station (closed in 1952), gave rise to significant commercial activity, serving as it did Newcastle and the Potteries before the Stoke line was opened.The sale by the Cavenagh-Mainwaring family in 1920 of a large parcel of land either side of the railway line allowed the village to develop and expand.