72-544: Balsall Common is a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull , West Midlands, England. It is situated 4.75 miles (7.5 km) northwest of Kenilworth , 7 miles (11 km) west of Coventry , 7.5 miles (12.1 km) east of Solihull and 14 miles (23 km) to the southeast of Birmingham . The name “Balsall” comes from the Anglo Saxon word “Baelle” meaning corner (or angle) of land, and “Heale” meaning
144-844: A Municipal Borough ; ten years later it was given the status of County Borough . Reorganisation of boundaries and council responsibilities in 1974 created the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull by the merger of the Solihull County Borough and most of the Meriden Rural District , which forms the main rural part of the borough and county. It included Balsall Common, Barston, Berkswell, Bickenhill, Castle Bromwich, Chelmsley Wood, Elmdon, Fordbridge, Hampton in Arden, Hockley Heath, Kingshurst, Knowle, Marston Green, Meriden, Olton, Smiths Wood, Solihull, Shirley and Temple Balsall. In 1986
216-665: A Squadron Headquarters were built for the Royal Air Force . In 1939, it was extended further to become a fighter station and a base for other units. It was visited by Winston Churchill during World War II . In 1936, the Air Ministry had purchased a parcel of land opposite the Castle Bromwich Aerodrome. On this site they built the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory (CBAF). This huge ' shadow factory '
288-442: A couple of hamlets of about six to twelve houses each and a few scattered cottages - as this map of 1889 shows. In the 1930s, there began the development which linked these isolated buildings, but it was not until after World War II that the village began to grow. With its proximity to the village of Meriden 4 miles (6.4 km) away, which until recently was long-believed to be the geographic centre of England, Balsall Common
360-462: A drop to 678 (almost the 1861 level). Post Second World War estate building in Castle Bromwich increased the population to 4,356 in 1951, 9,205 in 1961 and 15,941 in 1971. The parish was then split into two, resulting in the lower 2001 figures. Castle Bromwich was originally a Warwickshire village. There has been a settlement here since before Stone Age times. There is evidence that the area
432-546: A good view over Castle Vale (formerly Castle Bromwich Aerodrome) and the Tame valley from the top of the hill. During the 18th century Castle Bromwich was an important place at the junction of two turnpike roads. Chester Road, an old Roman way which ran from London to Chester , joined the Birmingham to Coleshill road near Castle Bromwich Hall. There was a toll gate at the junction of Chester Road, School Lane and Old Croft Lane, near
504-407: A marker to the aerodrome and the adjoining factories. The Firs Estate (as it was then known, and including Chipperfield Road, Oakdale Road, Millington Road and Ermington Crescent) were private semi-detached houses that briefly enjoyed the benefit of the farmland and golf links. In the late 1950s further development took place. The new council housing was built adjacent to Chipperfield Road and as far as
576-575: A parish of Castle Bromwich from part of the Aston parish not in either Birmingham or Aston Manor urban district. It was part of the Castle Bromwich Rural District from 1894 until 1912, when it became part of the Meriden Rural District . During the 18th, and especially during the 19th centuries wealthy Birmingham businessmen built large houses in Castle Bromwich. Castle Bromwich has a village green. The land for this, called Seven Acre Green,
648-522: A row of ex-RAF houses along the Chester Road, and a new Spitfire Memorial. This is a large steel sculpture called Sentinel designed by Tim Tolkien which was erected on the roundabout where the road to the estate joins the Chester Road in 2000. This was inaugurated by the CBAF's wartime Chief Test Pilot, Alex Henshaw. The roundabout was subsequently renamed "Spitfire Island". Diamond Jubilee celebrations of
720-638: A separate rural district (which was later absorbed into Birmingham in 1911), whilst the Warwickshire parishes from the Solihull poor law union became the Solihull Rural District. The 1894 Act also created parish councils for rural parishes , including Solihull. The Solihull Rural District and the Solihull Parish Council were abolished in 1932. A new urban district of Solihull was created;
792-463: A sheltered place The village is split between the civil parishes of Berkswell (to the east) and Balsall, which also includes Balsall Street, Temple Balsall , and Fen End, and had a population of 7,458 according to the 2021 census. It also lies on the Heart of England Way . The village is of recent origin; most of the houses and shops were built in the 20th century. Previously, the village consisted of
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#1733084612078864-767: A sports centre which supports cricket, football, golf and tennis clubs and is now home to Bromford Lions Football Club. There are three primary schools, one special school and one secondary school ( Park Hall Academy ). There are two main shopping areas, several smaller ones and numerous small businesses. Public transport is provided in the form of bus routes by National Express West Midlands , connecting Castle Bromwich with Birmingham , Sutton Coldfield , Solihull and Birmingham Airport . The Castle Bromwich Assembly factory owned by Jaguar Land Rover , employs 2,500 people (or 2,700 according to other sources) in Jaguar automobile manufacturing. News reports in early July 2019 indicated that
936-534: A steep hill from the river to the church, called 'Mill Hill'. Towards the bottom of the hill was a brick structure surrounding the 'Holy Well of St Lawrence'. This has now been covered by the roundabout for junction 5 of the M6 . 'Castle Bromwich Mill' stood on the southern bank of the River Tame , close to the bottom of 'Mill Hill'. It was still grinding corn in 1895 and possibly later. It then became an artist's studio until it
1008-474: Is centred on the Hall. The Hall is falsely reported as having tunnels linking to the former vicarage and former public house nearby. Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens which surround the Hall is the only surviving example of an 18th-century English formal garden, having escaped the attentions of Capability Brown. Sir John Bridgeman II originally laid out the Hall's gardens in the style to which they have now been restored by
1080-560: Is now also a private residence. Adjacent to 'The Bridgeman Arms Inn' were several cottages, used for servants, and an estate office for the Earl of Bradford who then owned much of the land in Castle Bromwich. The first Police Station was also established here under Pc Charlie Whale, before moving to a specialist house and lock up near to the Coach and Horses. When the Kingshurst estate was built policing
1152-506: Is one of seven boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region . Much of the large residential population in the north of the borough centres on the communities of Castle Bromwich , Kingshurst , Marston Green and Smith's Wood as well as the towns of Chelmsley Wood and Fordbridge . In the south are the towns of Shirley and Solihull, as well as the large villages of Knowle , Dorridge , Meriden and Balsall Common . Since 2011, Solihull has formed part of
1224-520: Is perceived to be one of the furthest places from the UK coastline . In fact, Coton-in-the-Elms in south Derbyshire holds this designation, situated 23.5 miles (37.8 km) to the north. Nevertheless, Balsall Common's secondary school is named the Heart of England School . The local primary school is Balsall Common Primary School. It is served by Berkswell railway station (actually in Balsall Common -
1296-437: Is the oldest pub in the village. 'The Coach and Horses' dated from the 18th century and stood in the front drive of the present public house. This was built in the 1920s and re-roofed in 1938 when the thatched roof caught fire. Additionally, 'The Castle' dates to the early 18th century and was the village alehouse. Later it became a general stores and then a private residence. The 17th century Georgian style 'The Bridgeman Arms Inn'
1368-466: Is very active. There is a well used multi-function village hall called Arden Hall. The office of Castle Bromwich Parish Council is situated there, as is the local police office of the West Midlands Police. Castle Bromwich has its own dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team consisting of a sergeant, four police constables and a community support officer. The playing fields, adjacent to Arden Hall, have
1440-539: The Meriden Gap (after the village of Meriden ) which serves as a green belt separating the Birmingham conurbation from the city of Coventry. Parts of Solihull neighbour the suburbs of Minworth and Hall Green . Parts also lie close to (but not contiguous with) the town of Coleshill and city of Coventry . Elections to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council are held in three out of every four years, with one third of
1512-647: The Castle Bromwich private aerodrome , when Alfred P. Maxwell flew the first aeroplane in the Birmingham area in September 1909. It became a stopping place during early air races. The War Office requisitioned it for use by the Royal Flying Corps and flying schools in 1914, when proper roads and buildings were established. The British Industries Fair (the pre runner to the National Exhibition Centre )
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#17330846120781584-475: The Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership along with neighbouring authorities Birmingham , Bromsgrove , Cannock Chase , East Staffordshire , Lichfield , Redditch , Tamworth and Wyre Forest . Solihull probably derived its name from a 'miry or muddy' or soily hill. The parish church was built on a hill of stiff red marl , which turned to sticky mud in wet weather. Solihull
1656-497: The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands , England. It borders the rest of the borough to the south east, Sutton Coldfield to the east and north east, Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale , Erdington and Minworth to the north and Hodge Hill to the west. It had a population of 11,857 according to the 2001 census, falling to 11,217 at the 2011 census. The population has remained quite stable since then;
1728-490: The airfield , Castle Bromwich Aerodrome though early plans included an aerial bridge from E block to the airfield. Very large hangar-like buildings were erected on the east side of the airfield which were referred to as 'Erecting Sheds', where aircraft were prepared for flight testing. This was the largest Spitfire factory in the UK, building over half of the approximately 20,000 built. After failing to get initial production underway,
1800-592: The 1990s). Since the late-1990s, plans for a bypass, a large national supermarket and larger swathes of new housing have so far been circumvented. This is mainly due to Balsall Common being situated at the heart of the West Midlands green belt area known as the Meriden Gap , between Solihull and Coventry , and is thus subject to strict planning regulations. Therefore, the village has so far not witnessed rapid growth given its location, as residents had long-feared that
1872-556: The 2017 population estimate was 12,309. It was a civil parish within the Meriden Rural District of Warwickshire until the Local Government Act 1972 came into force in 1974, when it became part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull. In 1861, the population was 613. This rose to just over 1,000 in the 1920s, when half of the original parish was ceded to the City of Birmingham for the construction of overspill estates . This caused
1944-453: The 51 seats on the council being elected at each election. Since the 2011 election The Conservative Party has had a majority on the council. At the 2015 election to the council, the following members were returned: For election purposes the council is divided up into the following wards based on civil parishes . Each ward is represented by three councillors: The constituent parts of the borough's coat of arms are: A stylised version of
2016-578: The CBAF were held on 15 July 1998, which included a fly-by flown by Ray Hanna in his ex-CBAF Spitfire MkIX, MH434. Amongst the dignitaries attending was Dr. Gordon Mitchell, son of the Spitfire's designer, R.J. Mitchell. Alex Henshaw also unveiled a memorial plaque just inside the old factory's main gate onto the Kingsbury Road. Its principal inscription reads; 'Here, swords of freedom were forged'. Castle Bromwich retains some of its village character and it
2088-603: The Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Trust. They commenced the restoration of the 10 acres (4.0 ha) in 1985. The Gardens are open to the public and are a tourist attraction. The Rectory The Rectory Castle Bromwich was commissioned by the owner of the Castle Bromwich Hall The 5th Earl of Bradford. The 5th Earl of Bradford enjoyed having tea at the Rectory. The Recrory is now Grade II Listed. Many of
2160-494: The Hall and rebuilt it in local hand-made bricks of clay. The Bridgmans were created Barons of Bradford in 1792, and Earls of Bradford in 1851. A marriage also brought Weston Park into their possession, which the family gave to the National Trust in 1986. The Hall was then rented out or used for other family members to live in. It is famous for having twelve windows (one for each Apostle) and four dormers above (one for each Of
2232-483: The M.U.'s (Maintenance Units) around the country. As any build-up of machines on the airfield would be vulnerable to aerial attack, testing was carried out in any weather. After the war, the CBAF became a car body factory. It is now the Castle Bromwich Assembly plant of Jaguar Cars . Its first post war owners were Fisher and Ludlow (themselves having been bombed out of their inner city factory). This company
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2304-577: The Newport Road. The name "Firs Estate" now points to the council estate and the name originated from the fir trees that stood near a large house between Chipperfield Road and Hodge Hill Common. The council housing was also extended up what was known locally as "The Golf Links" to meet the Stables, now known as the Comet. Castle Bromwich Golf Club (now defunct) was founded in the 1890s. The club and course closed at
2376-449: The Pimple but nothing of consequence was found. The name "Pimple" was commonly used from about the year 1915 onwards, and the story that the hill was a Saxon burial ground appeared around 1935, when the spread of dwellings from Washwood Heath began to appear over Hodge Hill . Modern houses now occupy the site and overlook the graveyard. The ridge and furrows have been obliterated. There is
2448-415: The Pimple site, and discoveries were made that confirmed folk tales of the area. The Pimple was the highest point of an iron-age fortification that encompassed most of Castle Bromwich. The land between the Pimple and Kyters Lane was particularly well defended by several ridge and furrow workings; indeed, Kyters Lane and Rectory Lane were built within ditches. Other ditches were excavated between Kyters Lane and
2520-577: The Solihull borough effectively became a unitary authority when the West Midlands County Council was abolished. It remains part of the West Midlands for ceremonial purposes , and for functions such as police, fire and public transport. There is some support to return the borough to Warwickshire for ceremonial purposes, as was the case when the County of Avon was abolished and Bath was returned to Somerset. There were also complaints that Solihull
2592-407: The airport to the nearby Birmingham International railway station . Around three-quarters of the borough is greenbelt and a large proportion of that is worked farmland. The borough shares its boundaries with Birmingham to the west and north, Coventry to the east, Warwickshire to both the north and south and Worcestershire to the south west. The borough contains a sizeable rural area known as
2664-445: The basis for later local government areas. In 1872 poor law unions also became rural sanitary districts for the parts of their areas without urban authorities; there were no urban authorities in the Solihull union. In 1894 rural sanitary districts were converted into rural districts with their own elected councils under the Local Government Act 1894 . The 1894 Act split districts which straddled county boundaries, and so Yardley became
2736-514: The borough include: There is a longer list in the article for Solihull town. The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Solihull. 52°24′32″N 1°46′51″W / 52.40880°N 1.78092°W / 52.40880; -1.78092 Castle Bromwich Castle Bromwich ( / b r ɒ m ɪ tʃ / ) is a large suburban village and civil parish in
2808-503: The coat of arms can be seen on the top left of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council's website pages, and the official, heraldic version appears on a dedicated page on the same site – external links below. Solihull is regarded as having one of the strongest subregional economies in the West Midlands, with a significantly higher nominal GVA per capita and Silhillians enjoying considerably higher disposable income rates than both regional and UK averages. Analysis also shows Solihull as having
2880-627: The company planned to build an electric version of the Jaguar XJ saloon, replacing the manufacturing of the conventional XJ at this plant, after investing billions of pounds in upgrades to the facility by autumn 2019. A BBC report indicated that the plant "also produces the Jaguar XF, XE and F-Type", but the XJ was critical to the success of the facility. Without the new plan, the Castle Bromwich plant would "effectively be dead", according to David Bailey (economist) ,
2952-610: The developed of the 1970s to make way for the A452 "Collector Road", which by-passed Castle Bromwich to the north. The "Pimple" commanded the important crossing place of the River Tame. It still remains today, somewhat reduced, sandwiched between the M6 and the Collector Road (Castle Bromwich & Chelmsley Wood bypass). There was an extensive archaeological dig of the area prior to the development of
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3024-484: The four Gospels). The garden door passed through a grapevine which was always trimmed into the form of a cross. The last family member, Lady Ida Bridgeman, Dowager Countess Bradford left the Hall in 1936. It then was used for storage during World War II . Post-war it was leased out as an apprentice training centre for the GEC , and then used as offices while the outbuildings are used by other small companies. The conservation area
3096-463: The four miles (6 km) to their major camp at Yorkswood in Kingshurst . The station closed in 1965 and was part-demolished in 1975. Until 1894, the village was a hamlet in the large parish of Aston . Castle Bromwich has had historic ties with both Erdington and Water Orton through administration, governance and land ownership whilst being part of the Parish. The Local Government Act 1894 created
3168-497: The government. He frequently visited Castle Bromwich Hall in the 1870s, possibly to court Lady Chesterfield and Lady Bradford. Later, Queen Mary made use of the telephone when visiting Lady Ida (Lady of the Queen's Bed Chamber) at the Hall. The Post Office closed in 2004 and is now a hairdressing salon. A drawing of 1726 shows a large structure called the 'Old Castle Hall' next to the old castle earthworks. Chester Road used to climb up
3240-522: The hall, farm house and adjacent buildings, orchard and pond are still visible at the 'Park Hall Wildlife Reserve managed by the Birmingham & Black Country Wildlife Trust.' The name lives on in 'Park Hall School', which is on the other side of the road, and is the largest secondary school in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull . 'Castle Bromwich Post Office' was the first to have a telephone outside London so that Benjamin Disraeli could keep in touch with
3312-447: The house. Later it became a two-storey extension to the house and the extended house was the home of the village electrician. It is now a private residence. The village smithy was amongst the old cottages on the southern edge of the village green. A disused car sales site which was on the southern edge of The Green, that was being used as a drive through car wash, was demolished in September 2011 and 14 homes are currently being built on
3384-598: The infamous 'Contact Races' held in the Midlands, which were organised by and between various civil flying clubs in the area. In 1934, the Air Ministry stated that Castle Bromwich could not be used for civil purposes indefinitely, so a new airport was constructed at Elmdon (some five miles (8 km) away), just outside the Birmingham City boundary. It opened in 1939 and is now Birmingham Airport . In 1937, more hangars and
3456-683: The lowest (and fastest falling) claimant count for Jobseeker's Allowance in the region. The current Flybe airline maintains its head office on the second floor of Diamond House on the property of Birmingham Airport . This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Solihull at current basic prices published (pp. 240–253) by Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling. ^1 includes hunting and forestry ^2 includes energy and construction ^3 includes financial intermediation services indirectly measured ^4 Components may not sum to totals due to rounding Localities in
3528-537: The mercurial Air Minister, Lord Beaverbrook , ordered the Nuffield Organization to relinquish control of the CBAF to Vickers. From May 1940, the CBAF's most productive years were overseen by Vickers Armstrong (Vickers having purchased Supermarine in 1936). The CBAF's chief test pilot was Alex Henshaw MBE, who managed a team of pilots who had the job of testing the aircraft. The ATA ( Air Transport Auxiliary ) were responsible for dispersing tested machines to
3600-403: The old buildings have now been demolished and farms have disappeared to make way for new housing and roads. Park Hall was bought by Henry de Ardern in 1373. The 'Park Hall Manor House' was supposedly haunted and was demolished in the early 1970s during construction of the M6 motorway. The hall was first mentioned in 1265, but this could have been a nearby moated timbered dwelling. Remnants of
3672-455: The onset of World War II. There are two from the Church of England , and a Methodist and a Baptist nearby. St Mary and St Margaret's Parish Church is the original church and is in the west of the village. It is unusual as it is a "church within a church". A small stone chapel was known on the site before 1165. It was replaced in the 15th century by a large half-timbered structure. The church
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#17330846120783744-425: The parishes of Solihull, Elmdon, Knowle, Nuthurst, Packwood and Sheldon were abolished and most of their combined area became the new urban district, subject to various adjustments to the boundaries with neighbouring parishes. The parts of the old Solihull Rural District not included were added to neighbouring rural districts. Expansion continued and Queen Elizabeth II granted a charter in 1954 making Solihull into
3816-530: The site and that of the British Industries Fair , and nearby farmland was sold for housing. The runway was broken up, many of the buildings were demolished and in 1963 construction work began on a new Birmingham overspill estate – Castle Vale – which was completed in 1969. The erecting sheds survived as storage units until 2004. All that remains now is a memorial, a stained glass window in the estate's church, streets and housing blocks with aviation names,
3888-485: The site. The Show Home is to be opened on 14 January 2012. Green Lane was the oldest trackway through the village. One of the ancient Ridgeways of England, it ran from the castle to Grimstock Hill Romano-British settlement at Coleshill. It is now mostly underneath Chelmsley Wood and the M6 . The following houses have all disappeared; some are remembered on road signs: and farms such as: A large piece of Warwickshire grassland (Castle Bromwich Playing Fields) became
3960-638: The station was formerly called Berkswell & Balsall Common) on the Coventry-Birmingham line, and by bus to Solihull (services 87/87A & 88/88A). The High Speed 2 railway line is currently under construction on the edge of the village, and will include the 425-metre-long (1,394 ft) Balsall Common Viaduct . Other nearby towns and villages include Knowle , Kenilworth , Warwick , Hampton in Arden , Berkswell , Barston , Honiley and Hatton . Its districts include Needler's End, Yew Tree, Catchems Corner, Balsall Street and Hallmeadow (developed in
4032-454: The village green. The toll house still exists, although the massive 14-foot (4.3 m) wide toll gate has been lost. In the 1780s stagecoaches travelling from Holyhead to London stopped in the village, as did a horse-drawn bus from Birmingham to Coleshill . There were several coaching inns and two survive today. The Midland Railway arrived in 1842 and Castle Bromwich Station was rebuilt in 1901. Boy Scouts used to arrive here and trek
4104-413: The village would act as a population overspill centre for Coventry, Solihull and Birmingham . Metropolitan Borough of Solihull The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough in West Midlands county, England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull , from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region (code UKG32) and
4176-400: Was a large complex of buildings built on land adjacent to the aerodrome and Castle Bromwich railway station in 1920. In the inter war years the aerodrome had a military and civilian function. In these early days it was the busiest airport in the area due to its combined passenger, post and railway air business. During the late 1920s and early 1930s the aerodrome was also a checking-in point for
4248-545: Was an ancient parish , covering the town itself and adjoining rural areas, including Shirley . Solihull was made the centre of a poor law union in 1836, covering eleven parishes: Baddesley Clinton , Balsall , Barston , Elmdon , Knowle , Lapworth , Nuthurst , Packwood , Solihull, Tanworth and Yardley . Yardley was in Worcestershire and the rest of the parishes were in Warwickshire . Such poor law unions formed
4320-473: Was built in 1599 by Sir Edward Devereux , the first MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire. It was a single storey with a plain entrance. It was bought by Sir Orlando Bridgeman (keeper of The Great Seal ) in 1657, for his son Sir John Bridgeman I. Sir John extended and improved the property in 1672, adding the second floor and a large front porch. His son, Sir John Bridgeman II, inherited it in 1710. He extended
4392-407: Was built in the 19th century and demolished in 1968 when the move was complete to larger premises with playing fields. Private housing now covers the site. Harvey's Drapery Shop – was a single storey extension to the main house. Originally it was a druggist's (the only one between Birmingham and Coleshill ). The visiting doctor from Coleshill arrived on horseback to take his surgery in a room in
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#17330846120784464-421: Was demolished in 1956. The M6 now covers the site, which is near to 'The Firs' estate. There were several other mills in the area, some also drawing water from the Tame. Two of the old coaching inns still exist. 'The Bradford Arms' was built in 1723 on the site of an earlier pub called 'The White Lion'. The high doors to the coach houses can still be seen. Law courts and Catholic services have been held here. It
4536-408: Was extensively altered between 1726 and 1731 by Sir John Bridgeman and the old timber one was encased in brick and plaster. The massive oak timbers can be seen now in the roof. It is considered to have outstanding architectural and historic merit . St Clement's Church is in the east and was built in 1967, when the original parish was split into two. Castle Bromwich Hall is a Jacobean mansion that
4608-469: Was filled in during the late 1950s. In 1931, a portion of Castle Bromwich land was sold and ceded to the City of Birmingham who built the overspill Chipperfield Road development during 1937–8. This halved the area of the parish of Castle Bromwich, from 2,742 acres (11.10 km ) to 1,239 acres (5.01 km ). During World War II , the occupants of Chipperfield Road pulled down an ancient white-washed farm house thinking it would deny German bomber crews
4680-520: Was first settled some 5,000 years ago. Romans , Saxons and Normans have also settled on this raised piece of land close to a natural ford across the River Tame . The Chester Road which runs through the village follows the line of a drovers' road called the Welsh Road , whose origins probably lie as an ancient trackway from the pre-Roman era. Bromwich is not named in the Domesday Book in 1086 yet
4752-567: Was from a two-man unit there, this closed down when the new Chelmsley Wood station opened. Part of the Inn was destroyed by a bomb in World War II , when two platoons of the Home Guard were based there. A 17th-century well was found in the courtyard of the cottages. The cottages and office have now been replaced by a service road and new houses. St Mary and St Margaret's Church of England Primary School –
4824-455: Was given to the village by Viscount Newport in 1895. The War Memorial was erected in 1920 on a small island nearby. There is also another green called Whateley Green. Whateley is derived from the Anglo-Saxon for wheatfield clearing. This was the site of the village's stray animal pounds and a smithy. It had two pounds, stocks and a whipping post. Whateley Hall was nearby. The ancient duck pond
4896-468: Was located within the ancient hundred of Coleshill . Bromwich comes from the old words 'brom' for the yellow flowering broom which grows here and 'wich' an ancient name for a dwelling or settlement. The motte (called the Pimple Hill locally) is some 40 metres in diameter and appears to be a natural feature that was probably heightened by Iron Age settlers, then by the later Normans and once again during
4968-550: Was not involved in the design of the Warwickshire flag in 2016. The borough is bordered by the M6 and the M40 and split by the M42 which divides the urban centre of the borough from the rural south and east. The borough's transport links have led to a number of established large businesses being based in the borough, such as Land Rover , the National Exhibition Centre and Birmingham Airport . A short automatic light transport system links
5040-473: Was part of a larger plan to disperse production and move vital resources that lay within easy range of German bombers ( Vickers Supermarine 's original factory at Southampton was devastated by enemy bombers just as Castle Bromwich came into production in 1940.). The CBAF factory was first managed by the Nuffield Organization to manufacture Spitfires and (later) Lancaster bomber aircraft. The theory
5112-411: Was that the local skills and production techniques used in the manufacture of motor vehicles could be transferred to aircraft production. However production proved impossible without help from the professionals from Vickers-Supermarine. The CBAF went on to become the largest and most successful plant of its type during the 1939–45 conflict. Aircraft and sub-assemblies were taken across the Chester Road to
5184-512: Was the sub-contractor for most of the now defunct BMC and British Leyland marques, the last being Jaguar, who took over outright control of the factory in 1977. Various units used the airfield post war and there was an annual display to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Britain . Civilian flights returned, including the first scheduled helicopter service from London. Such activities were to prove short-lived. The airfield closed in 1958 and in 1960
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