Halesowen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Halesowen | |
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| Population | 57,918 |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Metropolitan borough | Dudley |
| Metropolitan county | West Midlands |
| Region | West Midlands |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | HALESOWEN |
| Postcode district | B62, B63 |
| Dial code | 0121 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | Halesowen & Rowley Regis |
| European Parliament | West Midlands |
| List of places: UK • England • West Midlands | |
Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.
The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 57,918. Halesowen is included in the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency and is currently held by the Labour party through Sylvia Heal
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[edit] Geography and administration
Halesowen is a part of the West Midlands metropolitan county and conurbation, in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. Halesowen is located approximately ten miles (16 km) to the southwest of Birmingham at the edge of the industrial Midlands.
Although predominantly urban or suburban in character, Halesowen borders on green belt land, with excellent access to the countryside, for example the Clent Hills. It has extensive road links including junction 3 of the M5 motorway, which allow easy commuting to Birmingham, other areas of the Black County or nationwide.
The centre of Halesowen is home to a Norman church, a football ground (where non-league Halesowen Town F.C. play) and a College of Further Education which was founded in 1939.
Most of the housing stock in Halesowen is privately owned and was built in the 30 years which followed the end of the Second World War, although some parts of the town are still made up of Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses. The town centre was almost completely rebuilt during the 1960s, to its detriment in the eyes of many residents.
[edit] History
Halesowen was recorded in the Domesday Book as larger than Birmingham. Until the thirteenth century it was known as Halas, until it was gifted by Henry II to Welsh prince David ap Owen and became known as Halas-Owen; in modern times it has always been called Halesowen. The parish of Halesowen, which incorporated other townships later to become independent parishes, was an exclave of the county of Shropshire, but grew to become a town and was transferred to the jurisdiction of Worcestershire by the Counties (Detached Parts) Act 1844. Included in the boundaries was the ancient village of Brettle.
Halesowen became the centre of a poor law union in the 19th century, which later became established as a rural sanitary district and later the Halesowen Rural District in 1894. With increasing urbanisation of the area, in the early 20th century, it became the Halesowen Urban District in 1925, and obtained a grant of charter to become a municipal borough in 1936.
In the eastern part of Halesowen is Leasowes Park which was originally a garden owned by the eighteenth century poet William Shenstone. The local theatre and a Wetherspoon's pub are both named after him. Nearby are the ruins of Halesowen Abbey.
The outer south aisle of St John the Baptist Church was added in 1883 by John Oldrid Scott.[1]
In 1973, under the Local Government Act 1972, it was incorporated into the new Dudley Metropolitan Borough, in the metropolitan county of West Midlands.
[edit] Industry
The principal industry of Halesowen was traditionally nail making, an industry that was performed on a small scale individually in the backyards of a large number of nail makers. Halesowen also had, along with most other areas of the Black Country, a large number of above and underground coal mines. In more recent years the arrival of a junction of the motorway network allowed Halesowen to attract a number of large organisations to the town.
Somers Forge industries is the premier industry in Halesowen.
[edit] Neighbourhoods
- Cradley
- Lapal
- Haden Hill
- Hasbury
- Hawne
- Hayley Green
- Hurst Green
- Olive Hill
- Squirrels Estate
- Tanhouse
[edit] Education
[edit] Primary Schools
- Caslon Primary School
- Colley Lane Primary School
- Halesowen Church of England Primary School
- Hasbury C of E Primary School
- Howley Grange Primary School
- Huntingtree Primary School
- Hurst Green Primary School
- Lapal Primary School
- Lutley Primary School
- Manor Way Primary School
- Newfield Park Primary School
- Olive Hill Primary School
- Our Lady and St. Kenelms
- Tenterfields Primary School
[edit] Secondary Schools
- Cradley High School
- Earls High School
- Leasowes High School
- Windsor High School
[edit] Higher Education
[edit] Former Schools
- Halesowen Grammar School
- Hawne County Primary School
- Holt Farm Primary School
- Walton Girls School
- Greenhill Middle School
[edit] Newspapers
Halesowen is served by local editions of two regional evening papers, the Birmingham based Evening Mail and the Wolverhampton based Express & Star. There are two weekly local newspapers, the Halesowen News and the Halesowen Chronicle.
[edit] Radio
The Halesowen area is served by commercial and BBC radio stations broadcasting from Wolverhampton, Birmingham as well as from within Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Shropshire. Radio stations serving the area are Galaxy, 96.4 BRMB, Beacon Radio and Heart FM.
[edit] Leisure
Halesowen has a football team, non-league Halesowen Town F.C., as well as cricket and golf clubs. Halesowen is home to two Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide listed pubs, the Hawne Tavern and the Waggon and Horses, both of which have won the local CAMRA branch pub of the year accolade in 2005 and 2006 respectively. The Waggon and Horses has further won the West Midlands County Pub of the Year award for 2006, beating pubs from the Black Country, Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry. The Somer's Sports and Social Club is likewise Good Beer Guide listed and has regularly won the title of CAMRA Club of the Year.
Halesowen is the base for two amateur dramatic societies - Startime Variety (pantomime in January at the Shenstone Theatre, musical shows in June at the Leasowes Theatre) and Mayham Theatre Company (comedies and dramas, normally two shows per year at the Leasowes Theatre).
Halesowen Jazz Club holds fortnightly concerts on Sundays (except in Summer) at Halesowen Cricket Club (licensed premises), usually featuring Trad and New Orleans Jazz.
Halesowen Boardgamers Club play adult-oriented board and card games (German and American games such as Settlers of Catan, Acquire, Carcassonne) each Wednesday evening at Halesowen Conservative Club (licensed premises).
[edit] Notable residents
- Thomas Attwood, British economist and campaigner for electoral reform, was born at Hawne House, Halesowen on 6th October 1783
- Robert Plant, of Led Zeppelin, was born in West Bromwich but brought up in Halesowen.
- Lee Sharpe, Manchester United and England footballer
- William Shenstone, Poet and landscape gardener
- Frank Skinner, Comedian and television presenter taught at Halesowen College.
- Francis Brett Young, Novelist and poet
- Bill Oddie (Member of The Goodies)- Lived in nearby Quinton but went to school at Halesowen Grammar School.
Cardiff city midfeilder Peter Wittingham was born and raised there
[edit] References
- ^ The Buildings of England: Worcestershire, Nikolaus Pevsner, 1968 Penguin. p180
[edit] External links
- Halesowen Abbey
- Halesowen College of Further Education
- Halesowen News Local Halesowen weekly newspaper
- River Stour
| Settlements on the River Stour between the Clent Hills and River Severn | edit | |
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Romsley | Halesowen | Cradley Heath | Lye | Stourbridge | Stourton | Kinver | Caunsall | Cookley | Wolverley| Kidderminster | Wilden | Stourport |
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