Bushbury
Encyclopedia
Bushbury is a suburb of Wolverhampton
, West Midlands
, England
. It lies two miles north-east of Wolverhampton city centre, divided between the Bushbury North
and Bushbury South and Low Hill
wards.
St Mary's Church lies on Bushbury Lane. In the churchyard lies the base of a cross, believed to date to the 10th or 11th Century. Other buildings of historical significance include the 17th Century Northycote Farm on Underhill Lane.
The area, along with a wide tract of Mercia, was assigned by William the Conqueror to Ansculf de Picquigny
, who built a motte and bailey fortress at Dudley. By 1087, the time of Domesday Book, the area belonged to Ansculf's son, William Fitzansculph. He had installed in Bushbury a tenant called Robert, who also held lands from him in Penn
, Ettingshall
, Moseley
and Oxley
.
In medieval times, Bushbury was divided into several manors, each with a manor house - Bushbury, Essington
, Moseley, Elston, Showell (Seawall or Sewell from an earlier unrecorded Old English name - likely Seofan Wealles meaning 'Seven Wells'), Oxley, Wobaston (Wybaston - from an early unrecorded Old English name - likely Wigbeald's tun).
Bushbury was very rural, with a population of just 488 in 1801, but this was to change with the coming of the railways and increasing industry in the 19th Century, with large housing estates transforming the area completely from the 1920s onwards. In 1927, the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company
opened its Bushbury plant. Twelve years later, it was employing 1700, many of which were Bushbury men. Previous to this, many of Bushbury's population was employed at either the Electric Construction Company, or one of the railway companies operating nearby in the Gorsebrook area.
The Stafford Road was only made into a dual carriageway during the 1930s, and this saw much of the terraced and older housing on the left hand side as you travel from Wolverhampton towards Stafford, demolished to make way for the road.
The Northicote School
is located in this area, where previous headteacher Geoff Hampton
received a Knighthood in 1998 in recognition of his services to the improvement of the school and his services to education.
Bushbury steam locomotive depot accommodated LMS
and British Railways London Midland Region locos until closure in 1966 and was located where Bushbury Lane crosses the railway line to Stafford.
In 2008, the iconic blue and yellow Goodyear chimney
was demolished, as part of wider work to clear a section of the Goodyear site, which is to make way for a new housing estate. It was reported that around 1000 people attended the demolition.
There is a former AMF bowling alley in Bushbury, called Strykers. During the 1990s, it was home to a Quasar laser arena and a SEGA World arcade.
On the corner of Elston Hall Lane and Wood Lane is The Woodbine, which spent time under the name the 'Red Rooster' in the early 2000s before reverting back to The Woodbine.
On Northwood Park estate is a newer Banks's pub, the King Charles. On Bushbury Lane, close to its Stafford Road junction - though not strictly a 'pub' in the traditional sense is the Bushbury Working Mens Club.
Despite the Electric Construction Company closing in September 1985, there is still a club bearing its name on Showell Road, the ECC Sports & Social Club. Gone is the Oxley Arms, previously on Bushbury Lane, it was demolished during the 1990s.
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, 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...
. It lies two miles north-east of Wolverhampton city centre, divided between the Bushbury North
Bushbury North
Bushbury North is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands, England. It is situated to the north of the city centre, on the city's border with South Staffordshire....
and Bushbury South and Low Hill
Bushbury South and Low Hill
Bushbury South and Low Hill is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands, England. It is situated to the north of the city centre, bordering the Bushbury North, Fallings Park, Heath Town, St Peter's and Oxley wards, and forms part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency.It contains...
wards.
Place name and history
Bushbury was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Biscopsberie'. Topynmists believe that the name comes from the Old Engish 'biscop' (bishop) and 'burh' (fortification), so Bushbury possibly means 'Bishops fortification'.St Mary's Church lies on Bushbury Lane. In the churchyard lies the base of a cross, believed to date to the 10th or 11th Century. Other buildings of historical significance include the 17th Century Northycote Farm on Underhill Lane.
The area, along with a wide tract of Mercia, was assigned by William the Conqueror to Ansculf de Picquigny
Ansculf de Picquigny
Ansculf de Picquigny was a French baron who followed William the Conqueror to England.He was born the son of Guermond de Picquigny of Picquigny, a village near Amiens in Picardy and with his brother Gilo, crossed to England with Duke William of Normandy...
, who built a motte and bailey fortress at Dudley. By 1087, the time of Domesday Book, the area belonged to Ansculf's son, William Fitzansculph. He had installed in Bushbury a tenant called Robert, who also held lands from him in Penn
Penn, West Midlands
Penn is an area now divided between Wolverhampton in the West Midlands and South Staffordshire. Originally, it was a village in the historic county of Staffordshire. There is considerable confusion about exactly which areas fall within Penn...
, Ettingshall
Ettingshall
Ettingshall is an area of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, and is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council.-History:Ettingshall was mentioned as an ancient manor in the Domesday Book of 1086...
, Moseley
Moseley Old Hall
Moseley Old Hall is a National Trust property located in Fordhouses, north of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom. It is famous as one of the resting places of Charles II of England during his escape to France following defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.-Background:The Hall was built in...
and Oxley
Oxley, Wolverhampton
Oxley is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, and a ward of Wolverhampton City Council. Its area code is WV10. It is situated in the north of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Bushbury North, Bushbury South and Low Hill, St Peter's and Tettenhall Regis wards...
.
In medieval times, Bushbury was divided into several manors, each with a manor house - Bushbury, Essington
Essington
Essington is a village and civil parish in South Staffordshire, England. It is considered by the Office for National Statistics to be part of the Wolverhampton Urban Subdivision, and is within the West Midlands conurbation....
, Moseley, Elston, Showell (Seawall or Sewell from an earlier unrecorded Old English name - likely Seofan Wealles meaning 'Seven Wells'), Oxley, Wobaston (Wybaston - from an early unrecorded Old English name - likely Wigbeald's tun).
Bushbury was very rural, with a population of just 488 in 1801, but this was to change with the coming of the railways and increasing industry in the 19th Century, with large housing estates transforming the area completely from the 1920s onwards. In 1927, the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
opened its Bushbury plant. Twelve years later, it was employing 1700, many of which were Bushbury men. Previous to this, many of Bushbury's population was employed at either the Electric Construction Company, or one of the railway companies operating nearby in the Gorsebrook area.
The Stafford Road was only made into a dual carriageway during the 1930s, and this saw much of the terraced and older housing on the left hand side as you travel from Wolverhampton towards Stafford, demolished to make way for the road.
Today
Bushbury is a mixed area of private and council owned houses, built since the 1920s, and lies in the shadow and on the slope of Bushbury Hill. The large Bushbury Cemetery/Crematorium, with two chapels, east and west, is in Underhill Lane.The Northicote School
Northicote School
Northicote School is a co-educational secondary school located in the city Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. The age range of the school is 1118...
is located in this area, where previous headteacher Geoff Hampton
Geoff Hampton
Sir Leslie Geoffrey Hampton is the British head teacher who gained notability in March 1998 when he received a knighthood in recognition for his achievements as head teacher of Northicote School in Wolverhampton, West Midlands...
received a Knighthood in 1998 in recognition of his services to the improvement of the school and his services to education.
Bushbury steam locomotive depot accommodated LMS
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
and British Railways London Midland Region locos until closure in 1966 and was located where Bushbury Lane crosses the railway line to Stafford.
In 2008, the iconic blue and yellow Goodyear chimney
Goodyear chimney
The Goodyear chimney was an iconic landmark on the Goodyear factory in Wolverhampton, England. In 2008 The factory and chimney were destroyed. Oxely primary school pupil and former Goodyear worker had the privilege of pressing the firing button. The factory was built in the early 1920s on Stafford...
was demolished, as part of wider work to clear a section of the Goodyear site, which is to make way for a new housing estate. It was reported that around 1000 people attended the demolition.
There is a former AMF bowling alley in Bushbury, called Strykers. During the 1990s, it was home to a Quasar laser arena and a SEGA World arcade.
Public houses
Today, Bushbury has just a handful of pubs and bars. The Staffordshire Volunteer being the most central of them on the corner of Collingwood Road and Rushall Road. It has a bar and a function room, though was closed and boarded up for a while.On the corner of Elston Hall Lane and Wood Lane is The Woodbine, which spent time under the name the 'Red Rooster' in the early 2000s before reverting back to The Woodbine.
On Northwood Park estate is a newer Banks's pub, the King Charles. On Bushbury Lane, close to its Stafford Road junction - though not strictly a 'pub' in the traditional sense is the Bushbury Working Mens Club.
Despite the Electric Construction Company closing in September 1985, there is still a club bearing its name on Showell Road, the ECC Sports & Social Club. Gone is the Oxley Arms, previously on Bushbury Lane, it was demolished during the 1990s.