abling ▁for ▁boat ▁horses ▁was ▁available ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁the ▁business ▁re lied ▁heavily ▁on ▁the ▁canal ▁for ▁trade . ▁ ▁Public ▁transport ▁▁ ▁The ▁coming ▁of ▁the ▁railway ▁was ▁to ▁end ▁Stone ’ s ▁era ▁as ▁a ▁co aching ▁and ▁canal ▁town . ▁The ▁North ▁Staff ord shire ▁Railway ▁opened ▁its ▁main ▁line ▁from ▁Sto ke - on - Tr ent ▁through ▁Stone ▁to ▁N orton ▁Bridge ▁on ▁ 3 ▁April ▁ 1 8 4 8 ; ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁a ▁branch ▁line ▁from ▁Stone ▁to ▁Col wich ▁began ▁operating . ▁ ▁One ▁industry ▁that ▁did ▁fl our ish ▁under ▁the ▁railway ▁era ▁was ▁the ▁sh oe ▁industry , ▁at ▁its ▁height ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁there ▁were ▁ 1 6 ▁sho ew ork s . ▁The ▁industry ▁however ▁decl ined ▁after ▁Australia , ▁the ▁main ▁sh oe ▁market , ▁im posed ▁an ▁import ▁tax ▁on ▁the ▁industry . ▁ ▁Pres ent ▁day ▁ ▁Stone ▁Par ish ▁Church , ▁dedicated ▁to ▁Saint ▁Michael ▁the ▁Arch angel , ▁is ▁at ▁the ▁south ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁located ▁on ▁what ▁used ▁to ▁be ▁Stone ▁Pri ory . ▁It ▁was ▁comm enced ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 3 , ▁and ▁finished ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 8 . ▁The ▁present ▁clock ▁dates ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 6 . ▁ ▁Christ ▁Church ▁stands ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁town , ▁where ▁the ▁population ▁is ▁still ▁increasing . ▁It ▁was ▁ere cted ▁in ▁ 1 8