Stoke-on-Trent is a city and unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of 36 square miles (93 km2). In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement in Staffordshire and is surrounded by the towns of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Biddulph and Stone, which form a conurbation around the city. Stoke-on-Trent is often known as "the city of five towns", the name given to it by local novelist Arnold Bennett, and is the only polycentric city in the UK. In his novels, Bennett used mostly recognisable aliases for five of the six towns (although he called Stoke "Knype"). However, Bennett said that he believed "Five Towns" was more euphonious than "Six Towns", so he omitted Fenton (now sometimes referred to as "the forgotten town"). Stoke-on-Trent is known for its pottery industry, which has been in existence for over 500 years. The city is home to some of the world's most famous pottery manufacturers, including Wedgwood, Royal Doulton and Minton. The pottery industry has had a major impact on the city's culture and heritage, and there are many museums and attractions dedicated to the history of pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. In addition to its pottery industry, Stoke-on-Trent is also home to a number of other attractions, including: The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery: This museum houses a collection of over 80,000 objects related to the history of pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-on-TrentOpens in a new window Wikipedia 1 Stoke-on-Trent is a city and unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of 36 square miles (93 km2). In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement in Staffordshire and is surrounded by the towns of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Biddulph and Stone, which form a conurbation around the city. Stoke-on-Trent is often known as "the city of five towns", the name given to it by local novelist Arnold Bennett, and is the only polycentric city in the UK. In his novels, Bennett used mostly recognisable aliases for five of the six towns (although he called Stoke "Knype"). However, Bennett said that he believed "Five Towns" was more euphonious than "Six Towns", so he omitted Fenton (now sometimes referred to as "the forgotten town"). Stoke-on-Trent is known for its pottery industry, which has been in existence for over 500 years. The city is home to some of the world's most famous pottery manufacturers, including Wedgwood, Royal Doulton and Minton. The pottery industry has had a major impact on the city's culture and heritage, and there are many museums and attractions dedicated to the history of pottery in Stoke-on-Trent. In addition to its pottery industry, Stoke-on-Trent is also home to a number of other attractions, including: The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery: This museum houses a collection of over 80,000 objects related to the history of pottery in Stoke-on-Trent.