But over the years many tourists have assumed that Alton Towers is in Alton, or that Alton is near Alton Towers - a mistake that takes several hours to put right.
Modern satellite navigation has probably reduced the problem, but residents can still recall plenty of occasions when visitors ended up in the wrong Alton.
Sandie Earp said: “Many years ago, as a child, a car full of people asked me the direction to Alton Towers. I started trying to explain by saying it was nowhere near here, but the man got aggressive, saying ‘just tell me which direction.’
“So I said ‘that way I guess’, pointing him up through the High Street - this was before the bypass when you could still drive up through town. I have often wondered how far they got before they asked someone else, hopefully more politely.”
Julia Newland remembered: “Several years ago a large car with several people in it slowed down on Lenten Street and asked me for directions to Alton Towers. My reply: ‘It’s in Staffordshire’.”
And Liz Tootell added: “A tourist stopped me on bank holiday Monday and asked, about 30 years ago.”
This being England, the origins of the confusion date back at least a millennium.
The Domesday Book - completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror - mentions a market town in Hampshire called Aoltone and a village in Staffordshire known as Albertan.
Almost eight centuries of improving transport links and evolving place names resulted in the situation existing in 1852, when both settlements were called Alton and both had a railway station.
In the late 19th century the Earls of Shrewsbury, who owned a vast estate near the Staffordshire village, opened the grounds of their stately home, known as Alton Towers, to the public.
Between the 1950s and the 1970s it began to boast some visitor attractions, including a scenic railway and a cable car.
With the motorway network expanding and car ownership increasing, more people were being tempted to travel further for fun, and a decision was made in 1980 to turn the site into a theme park.
It quickly grew to national prominence - but with it not being located within or near a major city, there was still the danger that visitors lacking local geographical knowledge could head for the wrong Alton.
Even with modern satellite navigation to guide them, motorists still need to type in ‘Alton Towers’ to be sure.
As Kerry Henderson said: “I was asked by a passing car, many years ago, and my response was ‘Four hours north.”
“And just this year, my husband’s cousin said they were visiting Alton Towers from Scotland and thought they could pop in and visit us, as they knew we were close to Alton. I had to explain - Hampshire, not Staffordshire.”
Hoping to see an obvious landmark - like football fans of yesteryear scouring the sky for floodlight pylons - doesn’t work in this case.
Lynn Bonsey said: “Many years ago in the High Street, a car full - mum, dad, kids in the back - asked me ‘Where are the towers?’ My reply: ‘Try Staffordshire.’”
The closure of Alton station on what was originally the North Staffordshire Railway line did not affect this problem when it occurred in January 1965.
But as the years passed and Alton Towers’ popularity grew, more and more people who fancied letting the train take the strain were heading towards the wrong Alton.
Susanna Bradley discovered this while working for a taxi firm: “I used to regularly take calls asking how much a cab from the station to Alton Towers would be.”
According to the BetterTaxi website, based on a current Alton daytime tariff of £1.12 per kilometre and an initial charge of £2.80, Susanna’s answer would now be £304.
Ashley Marlow encountered some of those lost railway tourists: “A family of four came off the train, around 20 years ago now, and into the station café asking for directions. They were told ‘It’s a four-hour drive north.’ Used to happen quite a bit in there.”
For those in this situation there are alternatives - although some possibly dearer than the taxi.
It is easiest to get back on track if travelling by car, but Jane Emery took possible heavy traffic into account when advising people how long their journey would be.
She said: “I was asked a few times. And I’d say ‘About five hours’.”
Assuming a day free of congestion, accidents, roadworks and bad weather, AA Route Planner suggests going via the M40, a distance of 167.1 miles taking 3 hours 32 minutes, or the M1, which is 187.6 miles in 3 hours 25 minutes.
But such a diversion is massively inconvenient and disheartening, as Sally Lloyd explained: “I was asked outside Clarks 20 years ago. I said ‘About 200 miles that way.’ Felt sorry for the family actually.”
Some going to the wrong Alton at least avoided having to head the other way on the same day.
Alison Evans said: “In the past four years, at The Three Horseshoes in East Worldham, there have been two motorhome stopovers, and twice rooms have been booked, for families going to Alton Towers.”
If a car or an overnight stop are not options, the Rome2Rio website advises how to make the trip in a day by other means.
By rail and road, it’s a South Western Railway train from Alton to Waterloo, a Northern line tube to Euston, an Avanti West Coast train to Stoke-on-Trent and the 32A D&G Bus to Alton Towers - a journey time of 5 hours 27 minutes.
Going by bus all the way it’s the 65 from Drayman’s Way to Guildford station, the Ra2 to Heathrow Airport, the Ra3 to Watford Junction station, and a last bus that goes direct to Alton Towers, for 7 hours 21 minutes on the road.
Using three modes of transport takes 6 hours 8 minutes - train from Alton to Woking, bus to Heathrow, flight to Manchester Airport, train to Manchester Piccadilly, train to Macclesfield and bus from Queen Victoria Street to Alton Towers.
Members of local councils often help people, and Alton councillor Graham Hill almost found himself assisting someone looking for Alton Towers.
He said: “It happened on one occasion at the railway station while I was waiting to buy a ticket. They were redirected by the ticket office clerk.”
Andrew Joy, recently retired from his role as Hampshire county councillor for the Alton Town division, foresaw the conundrum during a posting in the services but never witnessed it.
He said: “I always thought that could happen, having once been stationed in Shropshire, but internet communications and maps apps have helped.
“Those who just enter ‘Alton’ rather than ‘Alton Towers’ in an app and blindly drive hundreds of miles without thinking must be relatively few these days.”
The mix-up may be less common than it once was, but it still occupies a special place in Alton’s collection of local stories.
As Averil Mangan concluded: “Years ago I was asked on a couple of occasions. The reactions on their faces said it all.”
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