Stafford is a county town in the Midland region of Staffordshire, in England. Historically, Stafford lied on an island surrounded by marshes, which gave the town the current name: the former name was Staith Ford, which means ‘ford' by a 'staithe' (landing place). Besides the name, Stafford preserves many buildings and important signs of the past. St Chad’s church and the Stafford castle are the oldest buildings, both belonging to twelfth century. As regards art and entertainment, the Shire Hall Gallery and Stafford Gatehouse Theatre are the places to go if you travel to Stafford. The main street for shopping is Greengate Street, right next the Elizabethan Ancient High house, the largest timber-framed town hall in England, today working as a museum. Due to big changes over the last years, Stafford is nowadays a fascinating mixture between past and present.