Penkridge's early importance was due to the church of St Michael which was a collegiate church with a chapel royal set aside for use by the king. The town grew economically after the reign of Henry III who relaxed the restrictions on land use around Cannock Chase near the town. The town began to have a weekly market and was famous for it's horse fair.
Like many small towns Penkridge grew in size and economic importance following the arrival of new transport links. Penkridge station is a stop on the West Coast Main Line, the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal also passes nearby. In more modern times nearby motorway links have seen the town population greatly increase.
