89-591: Wast Hill Tunnel is a canal tunnel on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal . Its northern portal is in Hawkesley , Birmingham . Its southern portal is in fields just outside the city's boundaries, in Worcestershire . The Wast Hill Tunnel was built in 1796 and is 2,726 yards (2,493 m) long, making it one of the longest in the country. There are several ventilation shafts along its length which were initially used for
178-515: A Gothic style associated with Chamberlain. It appears as a tall version of a French Gothic Chapel. The former Bristol Road trams were replaced with buses in 1952. The original tram sheds were demolished around 2005 to make way for flats, and Selly Oak bus garage closed as an operational garage in 1986 but continued as a vehicle store for West Midlands Travel . It was converted into a self-storage depot around 1990. The majority of bus services are operated by National Express West Midlands including
267-631: A Rural District Council which quickly changed to King’s Norton and Northfield Urban District Council in 1898. The opportunity to form an independent Borough was resisted in favour of unity with Birmingham City Council. In 1911 the area administered by Birmingham was almost trebled by a further extension of its boundaries under the Greater Birmingham Act. Previous extensions in 1889, 1891, and 1911 had seen Birmingham grow from 2,996 acres to 13,478 acres. Balsall Heath (1891) and Quinton (1909) were both transferred from Worcestershire, while Harborne
356-694: A branch called the Hadyn Way that passed through Stirchley and Lifford to Alcester. The road kept to the west of Birmingham to avoid the swamps and marshes along the course of the River Rea. The second road is generally called the Upper Saltway running north from Droitwich Spa to the Lincolnshire coast. Its route is uncertain but is generally believed to follow the line of the A38. Droitwich and Alcester were connected by
445-634: A direct route to Birmingham’s first gasworks opened in 1818 at the terminus of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal . They represent one of the earliest industries established in Selly Oak area which are associated with the Industrial Revolution . This is early evidence of a large scale industrial process taking place in Selly Oak and of great significance for Birmingham. They are the only ones of their type excavated in Birmingham. Other items found during
534-583: A fee in Northfield which was held by John de Middleton. At the time of the Domesday survey in 1086 Birmingham was a manor in Warwickshire with less than 3,000 acres. The current Birmingham Historic Landscape Characterisation project covers a total area of 26,798 ha (66,219 acres). Birmingham developed in the hinterland of three counties – Warwickshire, Staffordshire, and Worcestershire. Nearly 50% of this territory
623-473: A gold aureus of Vespasian minted at Tarraco in the last quarter of the year 70AD (MBM983); Stocks Wood irregular Earthwork (MBM1944); Tiverton Road Roman Coins – denarii (MBM2067); Weoley Castle Roman Coin of Antoninianus (MBM1016); Woodgate Valley Roman coin of Trajan (MBM1013). There are two entries in Domesday Book for Selly Oak (Escelie). The first entry for Selly Oak records a nuncupative (oral) will and
712-577: A great thegn, the son of Wigod, and the grandson of Woolgeat, the Danish Earl of Warwick. His mother was the sister of Leofric III, Earl of Mercia. The possessions that came to him by the Dano-Saxon marriage of his parents seem to have been rather extensive. In King Edward the Confessor’s time Wulfwin (also referred to as Alwyne and Ulwin) was sheriff and through his son Turchill, who came to be Earl of Warwick,
801-484: A large complex extending from the bar along Bridge Street, Gas Street and Granville Street. Part of it now forms a water front to The Mailbox shopping and residential complex. After the development of the new Birmingham New Street , a group of local business men noticed the resultant need for additional railway capacity south, through what were the under developed suburbs of south Birmingham and villages of northern Worcestershire . They therefore proposed development of
890-519: A moderate expense, might be rendered a desirable residence, being within a convenient distance from the Birmingham and Worcester Turnpike Road, and not, intersected by any public carriage road, and affording every facility for the preservation of game. Many of the other Lots adjoin the Turnpike Road, and are very eligible as building ground, and the whole Estate is well circumstanced with regard to roads and navigable canals. The whole of this property, with
979-551: A new branch railway, following the route of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal south to the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway to allow access to their new station at Kings Norton . Needing finance for construction of the BWSR, the newly formed Midland Railway became involved in the deal. An eventual agreement was reached with the then loss making canal company, who would be paid a rent for
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#17328518073981068-497: A population density of 4,236 people per km compared with 3,649 people per km for Birmingham. It had 15.9% of the population consisting of ethnic minorities compared with 29.6% for Birmingham in general. As the University of Birmingham is nearby, there are many students in the area. Selly Oak is recorded in the Domesday Book as Escelie. The name Selly is derived from variants of "scelf-lei" or shelf-meadow, that is, pasture land on
1157-525: A rocky outcrop between Jervoise Road and Alwold Road from which the stone was cut. a further point for consideration is that Great Ley Hill was included among the lots for sale. Five of the fields were called: 370 Round Wheely, 371 Round Wheeley, 372 Long Wheeley, 1114 Middle Wheely, and 1115 Long Wheely. Fernando Smith, who owned 123 acres, was an heir of the Barony of Dudley had it not gone into abeyance. The parishes of Northfield and King’s Norton joined to form
1246-676: A shelf or terrace of land, probably the glacial deposits formed after the creation and later dispersal of Lake Harrison during the Quaternary period. Another source for the name comes from the Old English 'sele' meaning a building, or a hall. A small pit recorded in a service trench near Bournville Lane, Selly Oak produced the oldest pottery found in Birmingham so far. Twenty eight sherds, representing about five different vessels, in decorated Grooved Ware pottery of Late Neolithic date, were recovered. The Bronze Age pit found immediately adjacent to
1335-411: A single block on James Whitehouse’s Wharfs on the Worcester to Birmingham canal. There was some rebuilding during the 1850s and they were redundant by the 1870s. The two eastern kilns were truncated by the railway. Older kilns may be buried beneath those that were excavated. The block of kilns would have dominated the landscape at the time and were designed to satisfy an obviously large demand. They were on
1424-563: A stone, and William of Picardy, and many others." Successors to the Barony included the Paganel and Somery families. In 1322 when John de Somery died the barony was divided between his two sisters Margaret de Sutton and Joan de Botetourt. Joan Botetourt was awarded a twenty-third of a knights fee in Selley which was held by Geoffrey de Selley who also held Bernak in Northamptonshire, and a quarter of
1513-470: A time-frame for the establishment of the Parish of Northfield. Two tornadoes touched down in Birmingham on 23 November 1981 as part of the record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak on that day. The second tornado, rated as an F1/T2 tornado, touched down in Selly Oak at about 14:00 local time, causing some damage across the southern suburbs of Birmingham. In the late 20th century a road-widening scheme for
1602-589: Is 29 miles (47 km) long. There are 58 locks in total on the canal, including the 30 Tardebigge Locks , one of the longest lock flights in Europe . The canal climbs 428 feet (130 m) from Worcester to Birmingham. The canal also has connections with the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal , and the restored Droitwich Canal , it historically linked to the Dudley Canal Line No 2 , until the route through
1691-453: Is an industrial and residential area in south-west Birmingham , England. The area gives its name to Selly Oak ward and includes the neighbourhoods of: Bournbrook , Selly Park , and Ten Acres. The adjoining wards of Edgbaston and Harborne are to the north of the Bourn Brook, which was the former county boundary, and to the south are Weoley , and Bournville . A district committee serves
1780-479: Is complicated by the fact that separate figures were not given for Harborne , Yardley , and King’s Norton which were all attached to manors outside the area. The Birmingham Plateau had about 26 Domesday Book manors, a population of close to 2,000, with seven mills, and three priests. The earliest Tax Roll for Selly Oak was the Lechmere Roll of 1276–1282. Selleye (Selly Oak) and Weleye (Weoley) were separate from
1869-491: Is held as two manors. The second entry also shows that Wibert had been replaced as sub-tenant by Robert suggesting the challenge may have been partially successful. The Bishop of Chester owned Lichfield and its members. These include Harborne, in Staffordshire until 1891, which was held by Robert. Wulfwin owned several manors which indicates he was wealthy and important, possibly an aristocrat. Indeed, he has been described as
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#17328518073981958-522: Is now the Bristol Road (A38) and the Northfield to Wootton Wawen turnpike road which runs southwards down Church Hill, past Turves Green and West Heath until it joins the Alvechurch Road (A441). As this was also a direct route to Evesham it may have been a medieval, if not older, route. The map shows two mills, Northfield (Digbeth) and Wychall which would fit with the description of Weley Manor on
2047-624: Is out of conventional order. Wulfwin had leased the manor for the term of three lives and the newly appointed Bishop of Lichfield , Robert de Limesey, used the will to challenge the loss of his land. "Wulfwin bought this manor before 1066 from the Bishop of Chester , for the lives of three men. When he was ailing and had come to the end of his life, he summoned his son, the Bishop of Li (chfield?), his wife and many of his friends and said: 'Hear me, my friends, I desire that my wife hold this land which I bought from
2136-537: Is the history of the schools in Selly Oak Ward taken from the Victoria County History that was published in 1964 and accordingly the information requires updating. St Edwards RC Primary School , Elmdon Road: The school opened 1874 as St Paul’s RC School, in new buildings with one schoolroom and one classroom. It moved into new buildings in 1895 and the name changed to St Edwards RC School. A new schoolroom
2225-418: Is without foundation, and is likely to have arisen as a means of explaining what may have been a variant and local pronunciation of the name as 'Sally' Oak. Indeed, the name is actually recorded as Sally Oak on a canal map produced by John Snape in 1789. In March 1985, a 'new' Selly Oak was planted by local Councillors on the north side of Bristol Road on the small triangle of land between Harborne Lane and
2314-447: The Worcester and Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1815 ( 55 Geo. 3 . c. lxvi), was passed after the company had purchased land for reservoirs, which was not permitted in the previous acts. The act permitted the company to sell the land and to pay a debt of £29,096 (equivalent to £2.72 million in 2023), to the treasurers by 29 September 1815 as well, otherwise it would be taken out of
2403-500: The Birmingham New Street , Lichfield Trent Valley , Redditch and Bromsgrove stations. The Oak element of the name Selly Oak comes from a prominent oak tree that formerly stood at the crossroads of the Bristol Road and Oak Tree Lane/Harborne Lane. The original spot is still commemorated by an old Victorian street sign above one of the shops on the north-side of Oak Tree Lane, which declares it to be "Oak Tree Place" and has
2492-644: The Cross-City Line which runs in another tunnel under the canal adjacent to the Holliday Street Aqueduct . At Selly Oak , a new aqueduct, the Ariel Aqueduct (named after the former Ariel Motorcycles factory nearby), was constructed in 2011 to carry the canal over a new section of the A38. The canal is popular for leisure and has narrowboat hire centres at Alvechurch, Worcester, Tardebigge, Dunhampstead and Stoke Prior. The canal forms part of
2581-567: The Dudley No. 2 Canal through the former Birmingham Battery and Metal Company site, as part of a long-term plan to re-establish the canal route to Halesowen and the Black Country . The Birmingham West Suburban Railway agreed a land rental deal with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal to allow construction which was authorised in 1871, and opened as a single line track in 1876 from Granville Street to Lifford. The Birmingham West Suburban Railway
2670-509: The Lapal Tunnel was abandoned in 1917. The parliamentary bill permitting its construction was passed in 1791 as the Worcester and Birmingham Canal Act 1791 ( 31 Geo. 3 . c. 59) empowering the company to raise £180,000 (equivalent to £27.4 million in 2023), through 1,800 shares at a cost of £100 each. It also allowed them to raise a further £70,000, if needed, amongst themselves or by
2759-754: The Sainsbury's site, following road improvements to the junction. A second 'new' Selly Oak was planted in October 2000 at Bentella's Corner on the south side of Bristol Road, on the opposite side of Oak Tree Lane to the original site. In addition, there may also have been a third planting of yet another 'new' Selly Oak, next to the extension to Sainsbury's car park, after the demolition of The Great Oak pub in 1993. All of these Oaks are still growing. Schools include Selly Oak School, Selly Park Girls Technology College, St Edwards RC, Raddlebarn Primary & Nursery, Tiverton Road, and St Mary's C of E Primary School. The following
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2848-599: The Stourport Ring , a popular cruising circuit for holiday boating. The ring takes in parts of four waterways, is 74 miles (119 km) long, and includes 105 locks. Another ring which includes the Worcester and Birmingham Canal is the Avon Ring , which is 109 miles (175 km) long with 129 locks, and also includes parts of four waterways. 52°28′37″N 1°54′32″W / 52.4769°N 1.9090°W / 52.4769; -1.9090 Selly Oak Selly Oak
2937-500: The 11A/11C Outer Circle. First Midland Red operated service 144 between Birmingham and Worcester via Bromsgrove . First curtailed service 144 at Catshill from 1 May 2022 due to low passenger numbers. 2015 was the bi-centenary of the opening of the Worcester and Birmingham canal (1815–2015). This connected Birmingham to Worcester and the River Severn, and then to Gloucester with its International trade routes. The speed with which
3026-501: The 56 locks down to Worcester were built to the narrow 7-foot (2.1 m) specification, with the final two locks connecting to the Severn in Worcester being 14-foot (4.3 m) to allow river craft access to Diglis Basin . The final 16 miles (26 km) was opened in December 1815. Plans to construct basins at Lowesmoor and Diglis were carried out eventually. The Dudley Canal Line No 2
3115-713: The Ardens and the Bracebridges trace their descent from the Old Saxon kings. One of the purposes of Domesday Book was to provide a written statement of the legal owners (Sub-tenants) and overlords (Barons) of the land in the reallocation of territories after the conquest. William Fitz-Ansculf , from Picquigny, Picardy in France, was assigned a Barony. He made his base at the Saxon, Earl Edwin’s, Dudley Castle . He and his successors were overlords of
3204-680: The Birmingham Extension Act, 1911". This has repeatedly been misread to exclude the whole of Bartley Green from incorporation into Birmingham. The three Domesday Book manors of Northfield, Selly Oak and its outlier Bartley Green formed the Parish of Northfield in Worcestershire. The Domesday Book manor of Northfield was not coterminous with the later parish of Northfield. Unfortunately there has been some confusion between manor and parish . As this has had an adverse impact on Selly Oak, and also Bartley Green, it seems advisable to identify
3293-521: The Bristol Road (A38) was carried out. Many historic buildings, including the offices of Birmingham Battery and Metal Company and the Westley Richards Gun Factory, were demolished. However, plans for a major regeneration of the area were confirmed in 2005 and a new 1.5 km stretch of road was opened in August 2011 to access the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham . The work has involved
3382-481: The Bristol Road is a tall, enigmatic listed building. Selly Oak Well and pumping Station was built by the Birmingham Corporation Water Department in the 1870s but was not formally opened until July 1879 by Joseph Chamberlain . The well was 12 feet in diameter and with a total depth of 300 feet. It has a solid casing of masonry 14 inches thick extending 80 feet from the surface. The engine beam
3471-513: The Court at Windsor held on 7 June 1862 set the boundary as follows: "All that part of the parish of Northfield, in the County of Worcester, wherein the present incumbent of such parish now possesses the exclusive cure of souls, which is situate to the north-east of an imaginary line commencing upon the boundary dividing the said parish of Northfield from the parish of Harborne, in the county of Stafford, and in
3560-552: The Lots will comprise the extensive Manor of Northfield and Weoley, with several eligible Farms, containing together about 1200 acres, principally tithe free, lying within a ring fence, and let to respectable tenants, at moderate rents. This Lot is very eligible for the investment of capital, or might suit any Gentleman desirous of residing on his own estate, there being on one of the Farms a very commodious House, with suitable outbuildings, which, at
3649-820: The Lower Saltway. Wall was previously a Roman centre named Letocetum and it was near here that Ryknield (Icknield) Street crossed Watling Street, now the A5, which ran north-west from London to Wroxeter. The Staffordshire Hoard was found near here within a triangle of roads from the Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods that cannot all be dated. Possible evidence of Roman remains exist in the place names of Stirchley (formerly Stretley and Strutley) Street; Moor Street, near Woodgate Valley in Bartley Green; and Street Farm in Northfield where two Turnpike Roads met. Evidence of Roman activity through finds in
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3738-458: The Urban District of King’s Norton and Northfield". The portion not included in the transfer to Birmingham was transferred to Illey not Lapal. The online version of the transfer states: "The parish of Northfield is situated on the northern border of the county, but with the exception of the Bartley Green area, which was annexed to Lapal, Northfield was incorporated in the city of Birmingham by
3827-588: The area include: Allens Croft Road/Brandwood Park Road Roman Coin (MBM981); Harborne Bridge, Roman Road (MBM1639); Hazelwell Street Roman Road (MBM1902); Icknield Street, Walkers Heath, Roman Road (B12227); Lodge Hill, coin of Gordian III: Roman (MBM1020); Longdales Road Roman Farmstead (B12342); Metchley Roman Forts (MBM370); Northfield Relief Road pottery (MBM2421); Parsons Hill Roman occupation 0AD to 299AD (B1824); Raddlebarn Road Roman Coin (MBM988); Selly Oak Roman Coin – commemorative coin of Constantine 1 (MBM872); Selly Park Spindle Whorl (MBM982); Stirchley Roman Coin,
3916-468: The boundaries of Northfield. In Domesday Book Northfield had a priest and was valued at £8 before 1066. This suggests it was an ecclesiastical centre at the time of the Norman Conquest. As no sub-tenant was appointed was Northfield, which shares a boundary with King’s Norton (Nortune), a royal manor? The 1820 sale of the manor of Northfield and Weoley defines the boundary of the ancient manor. "One of
4005-477: The bridges were initially constructed from wood with accommodation drawbridges, or roving bridges, inserted where the canal cut across farms or estates. Initially few locks were needed other than stop-locks or the guillotine Lock at King’s Norton . There were three tunnels: Lapal (3,795 yds), Brandwood (352 yds), and Wast Hills Tunnel (2,726 yds). The section of the Worcester-Birmingham canal to Selly Oak
4094-437: The canal system was constructed is phenomenal, perhaps due to the war with France that began in 1793, and the need to transport the heavy minerals – coal, iron-ore, and limestone from the Black Country . Selly Port was the centre of activity. The Worcester and Birmingham Canal Act 1791 ( 31 Geo. 3 . c. 59) approved the construction and with two further acts authorised the raising of £379,609 to pay for it. Barracks to accommodate
4183-656: The canal was the Cadbury chocolate factories at Bournville and Blackpole, Worcester. For twenty years direct connection to the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) was prevented by the Worcester Bar , a physical barrier at Gas Street Basin , Birmingham designed so that the BCN would not lose water to the Worcester and Birmingham. Cargoes had to be laboriously manhandled between boats on either side. In 1815 an Act allowed
4272-403: The church so long as she lives, and that after her death the church from which I received it should accept it back. Let whoever shall take it away from it be excommunicated'. The more important men of the whole County testify that this was so." The first entry records Bartley Green as an outlier, or dependency of Selly Oak, while the second entry doesn't include Bartley Green but records Selly Oak
4361-564: The city were made in 1928 and 1931, and after the VCH Warwickshire Volume V11 – The City of Birmingham was first published in 1964 making an updated study desirable, particularly regarding the transfer of areas from the neighbouring counties of Worcestershire and Staffordshire. An editorial note states that "Accounts of the Worcestershire Parishes, that ceased to exist when the administrative authority of Greater Birmingham
4450-453: The company were unable to raise the full amount of money authorised by the second act, and so another, the Worcester and Birmingham Canal Act 1804 ( 44 Geo. 3 . c. xxxv), was passed allowing them to raise £49,680. Another act, the Worcester and Birmingham Canal Act 1808 ( 48 Geo. 3 . c. xlix) was passed to obtain more money. This act empowered the company to raise £168,000 through the creation of 4,200 shares at £40 each. A final act,
4539-655: The construction of the Aerial aqueduct to carry the Worcester and Birmingham Canal , and a railway viaduct for the Cross-City Line. This scheme has paved the way for the enhancement of the Battery Retail Park shopping complex and a number of familiar High Street shops have opened stores. The ecclesiastical parish of Selly Oak (1861)[8] appears to identify the original boundary of the ancient manor . The Order in Council at
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#17328518073984628-412: The creation of a stop lock and the bar was breached. The Worcester and Birmingham raised their water level by six inches to minimise water loss and today the two pairs of lock gates have been removed. There were separate toll offices either side of the bar for the two canal companies. The bar still exists, with boats moored to both sides of it. The commercial terminus in Birmingham was Worcester Wharf ,
4717-466: The damage caused by a hurricane reported that 20 yards of a substantially built wall was demolished at Sturges Works and at the Sal-ammonite works of Mr Bradley at the same place, 30 feet of the large stack was hurled to the ground with such tremendous force as to destroy a stable and dash in a portion of the roof of the evaporating house connected with the building. Near to the library and set back from
4806-472: The date of 1880. The oak that stood there was finally felled in May 1909 amid fears about its safety, due to damage to its roots caused by the building of the nearby houses. The tree was cut-up and the stump removed to Selly Oak Park , where it remains to this day, bearing a brass plaque that reads "Butt of Old Oak Tree from which the name of Selly Oak was derived. Removed from Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak 1909". By 2011
4895-593: The death of Roger de Someri in 1272. Two manor house sites were shown amongst the lots. Middleton Hall was presumably the location of the residence of the Middleton family. The larger moated site, adjacent to the Church, is suggested to have been the original manor house of Northfield. The claim that stone from the Quarry Lane site was used to build Weoley Castle is interesting and questionable. Weoley Castle lies just north of
4984-413: The demoralising sight of the considerable number of people wounded during the conflict. In the 1920s the central part of the viaduct over the Bristol Road was replaced with the current steel bridge to enable higher trams to pass beneath it. The station complex was rebuilt in 1978 and again in 2003. Selly Oak is currently served by Selly Oak railway station on the Cross-City Line , providing services to
5073-405: The diocese of Lichfield, at a point in the middle of the road leading from Hart’s Green, past Shenley Field Farm, to the Birmingham and Bromsgrove Turnpike road; and extending thence, in a direction generally south-ward, along the middle of the said road leading from Hart’s Green aforesaid to a point in the middle of the said Turnpike road near to White-hill; and extending thence north-eastward, along
5162-519: The district of Selly was a part. The stump of the old oak in Selly Oak Park was examined using dendrochronology , and the results gave a date of 1710–1720 for when the tree began growing. It is therefore thought that the tree became a landmark following the turnpiking of the road from Bromsgrove to Birmingham (now the Bristol Road), which began in 1727. An older name for the same crossroads, where
5251-464: The excavation revealed post-medieval pottery: Cream-wares dateable to 1760-1780 predate the lime kilns although it wasn't always possible to excavate below the existing structures. Red sandy-ware also suggests a late 18th-century date. In 1822 the canal company approved the takeover by William Povey of the coal and lime business already established on the wharf by a Mr. James. The tenancy was transferred to James Whitehouse of Frankley in 1836. He lived on
5340-527: The exception of the Glebe in Cofton Hackett, is situate in the parish of Northfield, in the County of Worcestershire, on the high turnpike road from Birmingham to Worcester, and is distant five miles from the former place". A map of the estate was drawn up by J & F Surveyors in 1817 and this provides more useful information. Two turnpike roads met at Northfield. The Birmingham and Worcester turnpike road which
5429-728: The four wards of Selly Oak, Billesley, Bournville and Brandwood. The same wards form the Birmingham Selly Oak constituency, represented since 2024 by Alistair Carns (Labour). Selly Oak is connected to Birmingham by the Pershore Road (A441) and the Bristol Road (A38). The Worcester and Birmingham Canal and the Birmingham Cross-City Railway Line run across the Local District Centre. The 2001 population census recorded 25,792 people living in Selly Oak, with
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#17328518073985518-418: The land, which later became a guarantee of a 1% share dividend. The payments to the canal company and development began in 1873, and the line was running by 1875. Originally the railway terminated at Granville Street station and later the Central Goods station and goods yard through a tunnel under the canal, both stations now demolished and built upon. Today it forms a large part of the southern section of
5607-460: The manor of Northfield. Of the twenty households listed the person who paid the most tax was William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke , who was the half-brother of Henry III and one of the wealthiest men in the kingdom. The Papal Register 1291 shows that Northfield was an Ecclesiastic Parish which was connected with Dudley Priory . In the next Tax Roll in 1327 the entries for Selly Oak and Weoley were combined with those of Northfield. This suggests
5696-441: The manors of Selly Oak and Birmingham both of which had previously been owned by Wulfwin. It would appear that William Fitz Ansculf died during the First Crusade . Henry of Huntingdon in his 'History of the English People' writes that: "Then from the middle of February they besieged the castle of 'Arqah, for almost three months. Easter was celebrated there (10 April). But Anselm of Ribemont , a very brave knight, died there, struck by
5785-410: The middle of the same Turnpike road for a distance of five hundred and twenty-eight yards, or thereabouts, to a point opposite to the middle of the northern end of Hole Lane; and extending thence, south-eastward, to and along the middle of such lane as far as a point opposite to the middle of the last named lane; and then generally north-eastward, along the middle of the same lane, to the boundary dividing
5874-400: The mortgage of tolls and rates. The act also permitted the company to allow landowners on the line to build wharfs and wharfhouse, and if they refuse to, the company are allowed to if needed. A further act of Parliament , the Worcester and Birmingham Canal Act 1798 ( 38 Geo. 3 . c. xxxi), authorised the raising of £149,929 amongst themselves or through the creation of new shares. However,
5963-499: The navvies at were established Bournbrook for 120 men, and Gallows Brook, Stirchley for 100 men. Between Selly Oak and Ley End to the south of the Wast Hill Tunnel six brick kilns were in operation. The network included three canals: the Worcester-Birmingham, the Netherton, or Dudley Canal line No. 2, and the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal . The construction work involved: cuttings, bridges, tunnels, aqueducts, and embankments that were all built using manual labour from 'navvies'. Some of
6052-408: The new Stratford-upon-Avon Canal which had by then reached Hockley Heath . By March 1797 the 2726 yard (2493 m) Wast Hills Tunnel was open and the canal was trading to Hopwood . In 1807 the canal reached Tardebigge without the use of locks. From Worcester Bar to Tardebigge top lock , the canal is at the 453 ft Birmingham Level . The cost of building 14-foot (4.3 m) locks was too great so
6141-414: The proceeds raised from selling the land. The canal was surveyed by Josiah Clowes and John Snape . Its engineers changed often, and included Thomas Cartwright , John Woodhouse and William Crosley . Construction of a double barge-width (14 ft) canal began in 1792 from the Birmingham end, but progressed slowly. Selly Oak was reached in October 1795 and Kings Norton Junction by May 1796, meeting
6230-413: The road from King's Norton to Harborne (now represented by Oak Tree/Harborne Lanes) met the Bromsgrove to Birmingham road (now the Bristol Road), appears to have been Selly Cross; at least this is what it was called during the 16th century when it was recorded as Selley Crosse in 1549 and Selley Cross in 1506. The supposed tradition that the original oak was associated with a witch named Sarah or Sally
6319-452: The roof. On 23 November 1979, two workmen were killed when part of the tunnel roof collapsed while undergoing repair. The tunnel remained closed until 30 May 1981. Worcester and Birmingham Canal The Worcester and Birmingham Canal is a canal linking Birmingham and Worcester in England . It starts in Worcester, as an 'offshoot' of the River Severn (just after the river lock) and ends in Gas Street Basin in Birmingham. It
6408-511: The said parish of Northfield, from the parish of King’s Norton, in the county and diocese of Worcester aforesaid at a point in the middle of Gallows Brook". In Domesday Book Berchelai now Bartley Green was identified as an Outlier of Selly Oak. The boundaries of the daughter parish of Bartley Green were established in 1838. There are errors concerning Bartley Green that need to be corrected. The VCH Warwickshire – City of Birmingham states: "The ancient parish of Northfield, covering 6,011 acres,
6497-856: The site was also a highly important archaeological discovery, since prehistoric structures other than burnt mounds are extremely rare in Birmingham. Examples of finds in this area include: Bond Street Stone Axe (MBM859); Bourn Brook Burnt Mound (MBM2484); Bourn Brook Burnt Mounds (MBM359); California, Burnt Mound (MBM777); Falconhurst Road Barbed and Tanged Arrowhead (MBM1776); King’s Heath/Stirchley Brook Perforated Implement, axe hammer (MBM1793); Moor End Farm Burnt Mound (MBM778). Northfield Relief Road pit (MBM2455). Ridgacre Burnt Mound, near Moor Farm (MBM779); Selly Oak Flint Flake (MBM2219); Selly Park Recreation Ground Prehistoric Finds (MBM2002); Shenley Lane, Northfield flint scraper (MBM1801); Ten Acres Burnt Mound (MBM1584); Vicarage Farm Axe Hammer (MBM860). Weoley Park Road Neolithic Flint Scraper (MBM869). Metchley Fort
6586-522: The stump had become quite rotten and the brass plaque was no longer secure. It was removed by the Friends of Selly Oak Park and replaced with a replica plaque. The original was retained by the Friends for conservation. The remains of the stump were left in the park. The earliest attestations for the name 'Selly Oak' date from 1746, and come from the manorial court rolls for the Manor of Northfield and Weoley, of which
6675-415: The tunnel's construction. It is wide enough to accommodate two narrow boats but there is no towpath . Work started on the tunnel in 1794 and was completed in 1797. Until 1904 canal boats were legged through the tunnel; it took three hours to navigate. Leggers were replaced by a steam tug to pull a chain of barges through. The tunnel used to carry telegraph lines placed through iron brackets attached to
6764-530: The wharf, carrying on a business in coal and lime and also keeping a shop until the 1870s. On the Dudley Canal side of the Birmingham Battery and Metal Co Ltd there are indications of further lime kilns beside William Summerfield’s wharfs that have not been excavated. When John Sturge died Edward brought his brother-in-law, Arthur Albright, into partnership. They first made white phosphorus in 1844 but this
6853-511: Was 31½ feet in length and weighed 20 tons. The cylinder was 60 inches in diameter and had a stroke of 11 feet. It was built by Messrs James Watt and Co. By 1881, after further lateral borings, the output was one and a quarter million gallons each day. The well was capped in 1920 as the Elan Valley supplied all the water that was required. The building is described in its national listing as a tall brick and terracotta building with stone dressings, in
6942-603: Was also originally in Worcestershire, its northern boundary with Harborne (formerly in Staffordshire) and Edgbaston (formerly in Warwickshire) being marked by the Bourn Brook, part of its eastern boundary with King’s Norton by the Rea and Griffins Brook. Except for under 200 acres of the north-west tip of the parish, which was added to Lapal civil parish, Northfield was included in Birmingham in 1911; from 1898 until then it had been part of
7031-576: Was bought out by the Midland Railway to allow their trains to pass through Birmingham without turning having used the Camp Hill line , they extended the tracks south to a junction south with the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway at Kings Norton , and double-tracked the entire line length. The line was slightly realigned in the early 1930s. The stub of the old alignment has recently been demolished. Five stations were opened including Selly Oak. The terminus
7120-403: Was built through the Lapal Tunnel to meet the canal at Selly Oak in 1798. After repeated collapses, the tunnel was finally abandoned in 1917 leaving a short stretch navigable between Selly Oak and a brick works at California until 1953, after which it was drained and filled in. A campaign group, The Lapal Canal Trust, is working to restore it, with a diversion around the tunnel. A major user of
7209-517: Was changed to New Street. The line was doubled in 1883, and by 1885, it had become the Midland Railway’s main line to Gloucester. During World War I casualties were transported into Selly Oak and transferred to the First Southern and General Military Hospital which was housed in the new University of Birmingham buildings. The convoys often ran at night to avoid noise and traffic, and to limit
7298-605: Was enlarged in 1872 and ten years later the boys and girls were separated. When St Mary’s National School was opened in Hubert Road Bournbrook in 1885 the girls were transferred there and the National School was used for boys and infants. In 1898 the schools were united for administration and called Selly Oak and Bournbrook Schools. A third department was opened in 1898, in Dawlish Road, to accommodate 545 senior girls and
7387-447: Was established c. AD 48 and occupied until c. 200 AD. Two Roman Roads appear to have met there. Ryknield or Icknield Street was laid out between Bourton-on-the-Water and Derby in the mid-to-late 1st century to serve the needs of military communication. It passed through Alcester, Selly Oak, Birmingham, and Sutton Coldfield to Wall. A little north of Birmingham it passed through the important military camp of Perry. At Bournbrook it threw off
7476-608: Was established, are contained in Volume III of the VCH History of Worcestershire". The Historic Landscape Characterisation of Birmingham covers a total area of 26,798 ha (66,210 acres) giving an indication of the growth of Birmingham since 1889. The archaeology report following an excavation identifies that the limekilns were built shortly after the Dudley Canal line No. 2 was opened in 1798. A map of 1828 showed five lime kilns within
7565-509: Was formerly in either Staffordshire or Worcestershire but as the city expanded the ancient boundaries were changed in order that the area being administered came under one county authority – Warwickshire. The Saxon presence in the territory of modern Birmingham requires the inclusion of the Manors and Berewicks/Outliers mentioned in Domesday Book that are now part of the Birmingham conurbation. This
7654-631: Was opened in 1795. In May 1798 the Netherton to Selly Oak canal was opened to great festivities. By 1802 a route was opened from Dudley to London. To appease mill owners, reservoirs were constructed at Harborne, Lifford Reservoir and Wychall Reservoir . In 1815 issues regarding the Worcester Bar in Gas Street, Birmingham were resolved and the final section through Tardibigge to Worcester was completed. Arrangements have been negotiated for reinstating part of
7743-523: Was provided in 1897 increasing the accommodation for 120 children. It was altered and enlarged in 1909 and further improvements were required in 1912. In 1953 it was reorganised for Junior and Infants. Teaching was conducted by the Sisters of the Charity of St Paul. St Mary’s C of E Primary School , High Street, Selly Oak (Bristol Road): It opened as a National School in 1860 with accommodation for 252 children. It
7832-452: Was transferred from Staffordshire. In 1911 the boundaries were extended to include: the borough of Aston Manor (Warwickshire); Erdington Urban District (Warwickshire); Handsworth Urban District (Staffordshire); most of King’s Norton and Northfield Urban District (Worcestershire); and Yardley Rural District (Worcestershire). The area administered by Birmingham was almost trebled from 13,478 acres to 43,601 acres. Further additions to
7921-425: Was volatile. Albright invented a process of manufacturing red, or amorphous, phosphorus for which he obtained a patent in 1851. Their chemical works was reported to have caused several explosions. When an application is made for building work, as part of the regeneration programme for Selly Oak, it will have a condition for an archaeological excavation of the site to be carried out. A newspaper article in 1839 concerning
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