Trollington

Trollington upon Sandrina (usually shortened to Trollington is a large city and capital of the Stamford Green Province, St Samuel. It is located on at the mouth of the River Sandrina. The city was founded in Roman times under the name Trusstanctuntine.

Trollington is famous for having the largest harbour in St Samuel and it's coal mining.

History

Early development

The first settlement in what is now Trollington was Trusstanctuntine, which was founded by the Romans in 214BC. The population of Trusstanctuntine at this period was estimated at 2,000. Many Roman structures can still be found around the city, including the Roman Bath's and the Adorion Bridge.

After the Roman withdrawal from St Samuel, Trollington became part of the Kingdom of Holdinia and the town was known throughout this period as Adelchester. After a series of conflicts during the War of the Cross in 130AD, Adelchester was all but destroyed. Because of its strategic position, Luwin de Primrosa, nephew of King Eades, erected a wooden castle there in 146AD and the town was henceforth known as Trollington. The origin of the name comes from Luwin's wife, Lady Faustina Trolldina.

Throughout the Middle Ages, Trollington was Holdinia's eastern fortress. A stone wall 25 ft high was built around the town in the 9th century, to defend it from invaders. During the 16th Century Trollington came under control of the British, which ended in in 1904 after the Stamford Rebellion.

Trollington's development as a major city, however, owed most to its central role in the export of coal. In the 19th century, shipbuilding and heavy engineering were central to the city's prosperity; and the city was a powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. Heavy industries in Trollington declined in the second half of the 20th century; office and retail employment are now the city's staples, whilst coal mining and shipbuilding still exists in the city.

Urban development

The city has an extensive neoclassical centre, largely developed in the 1830s by William Doby and Richard Courtprice, and recently extensively restored. A portion of Norriston town was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the Harlington Square Shopping Centre.

Immediately to the southwest of the city centre is Dunstan Park, established in 1853 after a petition by 3,000 working men of the city for "ready access to some open ground for the purpose of health and recreation". Just outside one corner of this is the Bell Park Stadium, home of Trollington F.C. which dominates the view of the city from all directions.

Recent developments

The development of the city in the 1960s and 1970s saw the demolition of part of Norriston town as a prelude to the modernist rebuilding initiatives of Francis Cartwright, the leader of Trollington City Council.

In 1999, with crime at an all time high in the city and the out dated pre-fab council estates and ugly high rise tower blocks, built in the 60's, the Trollington City Council set about re-developing the city. Most of the high rise tower blocks were demolished along with the old council estates, which has given way to fresh modern housing complexes.

Geography

Trollington is situated in the North East of St Samuel, in the Stamford Green Province. The city itself is located on the bank's of the River Sandrina.

The geology of the area is most famous for its large deposits of coal. Whilst the local bedrock consists mainly of carboniferous rocks, millstone grit and oolite are also present.

The climate in Trollington is temperate, although significantly warmer than some other locations at a similar latitude due to the warming influence of the Gulf Stream (via the San Eugenia Sea Drift). The prevailing winds are south-westerly due to the San Eugenia Sea Current.

Demographics

Population

According to the St Samuel Government's 2001 census, the city of Trollington has a population of 4,189,863. According to the same statistics, the average age of people living in Newcastle is 37.8 (the national average being 38.6). 73.1% of the population are of white British ethnic background. Many people in the city have English, Scottish and Irish ancestors. Other ethnic groups in Trollington, in order of population size, are Cookeslandic at 1.9% and Thaslandian at 1.2%. There are also small but significant Bazzalonian and Ariddian populations.

Religion

The city is predominatley Christian at 96.6%, with a small percentage of other religions. Trollington has four cathedrals, the Anglican St Joseph, with its elegant lantern tower, the Roman Catholic St Peter's, the Orthodox St Michael's and the Lutheran St Thomas Cathedral. All four cathedrals began their lives as parish churches. St Peter's became a cathedral in 1850, St Michael's in 1864, St Thomas's in 1879 and St Joseph's in 1882.

Transport and infrastructure

Trollington International Airport is located on the northern outskirts of the city near Semberland. The airport currently handles over five million passengers per year, expecting to reach 10 million passengers by 2016, and 15 million by 2030. As of 2006, more than 80 destinations are available world-wide. A large scale development, Trollington Great Park, in unused land near the edge of the city close to the airport should help growth further.

Trollington Grand Central railway station is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line and Cross Country Route. It has a fine neoclassical frontage originally designed by the architect Albert Rothman. The station was opened in 1842 by Governor Oliver Sanders-Brookman, with the first services being operated by the Great Eastern Railway company. The city's other mainline station, Trollington Bay, is situated to the east of the city centre.

Trollington also has an international Ferry Terminal, located north of the city, offering services to destinations including Cookesland, Nitramda and Zanzibam.

Sport

The City has a strong sporting tradition. Division 2 football team, Trollington F.C. has been based at the Bell Park Stadium since the club was established in 1892. The city also has two lower league football teams, Old Trollington, who play in Division 6 and Lower Trollington Rovers who play in Division 9.

Also in Trollington are Premiership rugby union side Trollington Templars who play at the Aldwick Arena.

The Hagley Arena is home to Trollington Ironside's ice hockey team, and Trollington Renegade's basketball team. The city's Speedway, is based at the Caldicott Arena, a venue that is also home to greyhound racing. Racing started at the Caldicott Arena in 1929. Trollington Racecourse at High Catforth Park holds regular meets, including the prestigious race for the Stamford Plate, first run in 1818, which takes place in July each year.