Bickenhill
Encyclopedia
Bickenhill is a village, civil parish
and ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
, West Midlands
, England
, on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation
.
The parish was rural during the 19th century but began to develop in the early 20th century into a populous area.
Many changes to the area were made during the nineteenth century. Solihull
parish received a detached part of Bickenhill parish, known as Lyndon Quarter, in 1874. The area had been known as Lyndon or Ulverley, after the Ulverlie family who were the original land-owners in the area. When they constructed a new town at a nearby crossroads, which was to become Solihull, old Ulverley became the Old Town, later corrupted to Olton
. Though Elmdon parish lay between Olton and Bickenhill proper, the area was administratively Bickenhill until transfer to Solihull, and finally independence with the construction of St. Margaret's Church. The area had been rapidly suburbanising because of the opening of a railway station at Olton, which allowed those who worked in Birmingham to live there and commute. It soon became a suburb
of Birmingham
. Marston Green
, in the north of the parish proper and now the other side of the airport, suburbanised similarly due to having its own station.
Bickenhill proper, however, was not to benefit from the railway boom, despite having what is now the West Coast Main Line
running very nearby. No station was opened near the village until Birmingham International
at Birmingham Airport in the 1970s. The focus of the parish is now very much the sprawling Airport-NEC complex, and the village itself is very small, overshadowed by the airport and very close to the busy M42
and A45 roads and WCML railway. An illustration of the village's subservience to the airport is provided by the church steeple, which has several large runway lights mounted on it to avoid aeroplane collision.
Much of the farmland around the village has been owned by Birmingham International Airport for many years, in anticipation of future expansion, and either rented to farmers or left to pasture. Successive proposals for airport expansion have called for demolition of what is left of the village, including the church, which still bears scars from the sharpening of weapons by soldiers in the English Civil War. The future of the settlement at what was once called Church Bickenhill in recognition of the existence of Middle and Hill Bickenhills looks very doubtful, and it will most likely go the way of the latter two and be annexed by the airport. Bickenhill is, however, in a very important location in terms of transport corridors and it is thus inevitable that it be developed.
Before the decision was taken to rebuild Wembley Stadium in north London Bickenhill was a contender to be the site of the new national stadium, indeed the supposed forerunner. National posters on behalf of the Wembley bid proclaimed, 'One day I'll play at Bickenhill...', in a tongue-in-cheek offensive against the proposal.
Solihull's landfill site is located in Bickenhill, and that of North Warwickshire in Little Packington, visible from the village.
. Also located within the parish are Birmingham International Airport
, the National Exhibition Centre
, and the National Motorcycle Museum
. Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council maintain a waste recycling centre in the parish.
The parish is crossed by two major roads: the M42
and the A45. The A45 is referred to locally as the Coventry Road.
A substantial proportion of Bickenhill currently stands under threat of demolition due to the proposed development of a second runway at Birmingham International Airport.
Bickenhill ward
elects three councillor
s to the metropolitan borough council.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
and ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, in west-central 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 and is one of five boroughs or unitary...
, West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
.
History
The parish dates back to 1086 when it was owned by Edward the Confessor, by Alward, and then by Turchil. The descendants of Turchil, the Arden family, settled in the area and adopted the surname 'de Bickenhill,' though spelt differently. The name developed into de Bickenhill in the 13th century. In 1295, Alice de Langley gave herself the title Lady of Bickenhill. A manor then developed in Bickenhill and by the 15th century, there were two manors. It is believed that both manors shared rights by the end of the century. The manors were no longer existing by the end of the 16th century.The parish was rural during the 19th century but began to develop in the early 20th century into a populous area.
Many changes to the area were made during the nineteenth century. Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
parish received a detached part of Bickenhill parish, known as Lyndon Quarter, in 1874. The area had been known as Lyndon or Ulverley, after the Ulverlie family who were the original land-owners in the area. When they constructed a new town at a nearby crossroads, which was to become Solihull, old Ulverley became the Old Town, later corrupted to Olton
Olton
Olton is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands, England. In the 13th century the Lords of the Manor moved their seat and formed a new settlement, in the junction of two major roads, that village has now grown into a big town called Solihull...
. Though Elmdon parish lay between Olton and Bickenhill proper, the area was administratively Bickenhill until transfer to Solihull, and finally independence with the construction of St. Margaret's Church. The area had been rapidly suburbanising because of the opening of a railway station at Olton, which allowed those who worked in Birmingham to live there and commute. It soon became a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. Marston Green
Marston Green
Marston Green is a village of around 5000 residents in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands, approximately 7 miles from Birmingham.The village is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre...
, in the north of the parish proper and now the other side of the airport, suburbanised similarly due to having its own station.
Bickenhill proper, however, was not to benefit from the railway boom, despite having what is now the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
running very nearby. No station was opened near the village until Birmingham International
Birmingham International railway station
Birmingham International railway station is located in the borough of Solihull, just east of the city of Birmingham in England.The station is on the Rugby-Birmingham-Stafford Line 14 km east of Birmingham New Street and serves both Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition...
at Birmingham Airport in the 1970s. The focus of the parish is now very much the sprawling Airport-NEC complex, and the village itself is very small, overshadowed by the airport and very close to the busy M42
M42
M42 or M-42 may refer to:In science:* Messier 42, a nebula also called the Orion Nebula* the 42nd known Mersenne primeIn transportation:* M-42 , a state highway in Michigan...
and A45 roads and WCML railway. An illustration of the village's subservience to the airport is provided by the church steeple, which has several large runway lights mounted on it to avoid aeroplane collision.
Much of the farmland around the village has been owned by Birmingham International Airport for many years, in anticipation of future expansion, and either rented to farmers or left to pasture. Successive proposals for airport expansion have called for demolition of what is left of the village, including the church, which still bears scars from the sharpening of weapons by soldiers in the English Civil War. The future of the settlement at what was once called Church Bickenhill in recognition of the existence of Middle and Hill Bickenhills looks very doubtful, and it will most likely go the way of the latter two and be annexed by the airport. Bickenhill is, however, in a very important location in terms of transport corridors and it is thus inevitable that it be developed.
Before the decision was taken to rebuild Wembley Stadium in north London Bickenhill was a contender to be the site of the new national stadium, indeed the supposed forerunner. National posters on behalf of the Wembley bid proclaimed, 'One day I'll play at Bickenhill...', in a tongue-in-cheek offensive against the proposal.
Solihull's landfill site is located in Bickenhill, and that of North Warwickshire in Little Packington, visible from the village.
Parish
According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 6,583. The parish covers the village of Bickenhill itself and the town of Marston GreenMarston Green
Marston Green is a village of around 5000 residents in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands, approximately 7 miles from Birmingham.The village is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre...
. Also located within the parish are Birmingham International Airport
Birmingham International Airport (UK)
Birmingham Airport , formerly Birmingham International Airport is an airport located east southeast of Birmingham city centre, at Bickenhill in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull within the West Midlands, England...
, the National Exhibition Centre
National Exhibition Centre
The National Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre in Birmingham, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres making it the...
, and the National Motorcycle Museum
National Motorcycle Museum (UK)
The National Motorcycle Museum occupies an site in Bickenhill, Solihull, England and holds the world's largest collection of British motorcycles. In addition to over 850 motorcycles which cover a century of motorcycle manufacture the site has conference facilities...
. Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council maintain a waste recycling centre in the parish.
The parish is crossed by two major roads: the M42
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
and the A45. The A45 is referred to locally as the Coventry Road.
Village
The village of Bickenhill is located south of the A45 road (whereas the rest of the parish is located north of the A45). The Norman Church near the village of Bickenhill dates from 1140. The name 'Bickenhill' derives from the Anglo-Saxon 'projecting hill'. The majority of the older houses in Bickenhill village are Georgian and Victorian.A substantial proportion of Bickenhill currently stands under threat of demolition due to the proposed development of a second runway at Birmingham International Airport.
Government
The two main local authorities responsible for the upkeep of the parish are Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council and Bickenhill Parish Council. The Parish Council is responsible for maintaining facilities such as churchyards, cemeteries and parks in the parish and its offices are located at a park near Marston Green.Bickenhill ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
elects three councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s to the metropolitan borough council.