Kingsbury, Warwickshire
Encyclopedia
Kingsbury is a large village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire
district of the county of Warwickshire
, in the West Midlands
region of England
.
It is situated between Birmingham
and Tamworth
(which is 6 miles/10 km to the north), overlooking the River Tame
. The A51
to Chester
starts from here; as does the A4097, which runs through Curdworth and Minworth
before joining the A38
. This continues to Junction 6 of the M6
(Spaghetti Junction
) giving access to the motorway network of the Midlands and the City of Birmingham. Kingsbury is notable for the Kingsbury Water Park
, a shooting range and a large oil storage depot to the northeast.
, Hurley Common
, Piccadilly
and Wood End. In the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 7,523.
The urban area of Kingsbury village itself had 4,168 inhabitants.
tribe that established Curdworth and Minworth
.
The village is mentioned in the Domesday survey. Two priests are recorded, so the church must have existed. So is Hemlingford Mill, which still exists. It was originally a water mill, used for many purposes including milling corn into flour and grinding gun barrels for muskets during the Napoleonic Wars. Later it was used as a garden centre. A bridge was built across the River Tame near to the mill in 1783. This was single carriageway so traffic lights were installed later on, until it was bypassed by a new road to serve the oil terminal in the 1960s. The centre section of the old bridge was swept away by a flash flood in the early 1980s and was replaced with modern concrete. It is now used for pedestrians only.
In 1473-4 during the Wars of the Roses
there was a family dispute involving the Bracebridges and their distant relations, the Ardens (William Shakespeare
's maternal ancestors) of Park Hall in Castle Bromwich
. John Arden had fallen in love with Alice Bracebridge. John's father, Sir Walter, did not approve. John was kidnapped and taken to Bracebridge Hall. Sir Walter appealed to King Edward IV, who appointed Sir Simon de Montford
of Coleshill
and Sir Richard Bingham of Middleton
to arbitrate. John and Alice were married in February 1474. In 1502 John inherited Park Hall in Castle Bromwich
, while his younger brother Thomas settled at Wilmcote near Stratford upon Avon. Thomas had a son Robert who was the father of Mary Arden, William Shakespeare
's mother.
The stones of the church porch show evidence of arrow-sharpening grooves, sometimes said to have been done by soldiers but more probably by hunting parties or locals waiting their turn for the nearby village butts, as all males had to be proficient with a longbow.
Until the 19th century Kingsbury was a small hamlet
, and the main landowner in the area was the Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel
. The Birmingham and Derby Railway was built through Kingsbury in 1839 and industry was soon established, most notably coal mining
and gravel
extraction, which fuelled the expansion of the village.
, has now gone and the railway station
was closed in 1968 under the 'Beeching
' cuts. although the station building has gone, the station master's house (built by LMS in 1926) still exists alongside the site. The large oil storage depots
, which serve the whole of the Midlands, were established in the late-1960s to the northeast of Kingsbury.
Kingsbury Water Park
, which is situated between Kingsbury and Bodymoor Heath, is a series of 15 lakes, situated in 600 acres (2.4 km²) of land. It was reclaimed from the old gravel pits. It is now home to a camp site, children's play areas, a sailing club, model boat club and jet ski and power boat racing clubs.
Kingsbury is now mainly a large commuter village. Although relatively small, the village has facilities and services including a [primary school], a secondary school
, a swimming pool (situated at the secondary school but open to the public), two pubs, the Swan and the Royal Oak, a country club, churches, a doctors' surgery and shops. In 2006 its population was in excess of 8,000 inhabitants and is frequently referred to as a small town rather than a village.
, Atherstone
, Water Orton
, Coleshill
, Curdworth, Minworth
, Hurley
, Erdington
, Sutton Coldfield
, Middleton
, Lea Marston
, Whitacre Heath
, Polesworth
, Grendon
, Dordon
, Wishaw
, Bodymoor Heath
, Birmingham
. District: North Warwickshire
.
North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire is a local government district and borough in Warwickshire, England. The main town in the district is Atherstone where the council is based...
district of the county of Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, in the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
region of 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 is situated between 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...
and Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
(which is 6 miles/10 km to the north), overlooking the River Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
. The A51
A51 road
The A51 is a road in England running from Kingsbury in Warwickshire to Chester. The road follows the following route:*Kingsbury*Tamworth*Lichfield*Rugeley *Little Haywood*Great Haywood*Weston*Sandon...
to Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
starts from here; as does the A4097, which runs through Curdworth and Minworth
Minworth
Minworth is a village on the outskirts of Birmingham in the West Midlands area of England. It is located near Walmley, Wishaw, Warwickshire, Curdworth, Thimble End and Castle Vale....
before joining the A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
. This continues to Junction 6 of the M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
(Spaghetti Junction
Gravelly Hill Interchange
Gravelly Hill Interchange, better known by its nickname Spaghetti Junction, is junction 6 of the M6 motorway where it meets the A38 Aston Expressway in Birmingham, England.- Overview :...
) giving access to the motorway network of the Midlands and the City of Birmingham. Kingsbury is notable for the Kingsbury Water Park
Kingsbury Water Park
Kingsbury Water Park is a country park in north Warwickshire, England, not far from Birmingham and lying on the River Tame. It is owned and managed by Warwickshire County Council. It has fifteen lakes situated in over 600 acres of country park. It is renowned for its birdlife, and is popular with...
, a shooting range and a large oil storage depot to the northeast.
Kingsbury parish
The village of Kingsbury forms part of a larger civil parish of the same name which includes the nearby settlements of HurleyHurley, Warwickshire
Hurley is a village in Warwickshire, England. It is located in the North Warwickshire district of the county, close to the village of Kingsbury and is part of the civil parish of its neighbour...
, Hurley Common
Hurley Common
Hurley Common is a Village in North Warwickshire between Wood End and Hurley, it consists of several houses and 2 Farms, Hurley common does not have its own Parish Church so it is technically a Hamlet.-History:...
, Piccadilly
Piccadilly, Warwickshire
Piccadilly is a small Village in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire in England. It is located near to the larger village of Kingsbury, and is four miles south of Tamworth.-History:...
and Wood End. In the 2001 census, the parish had a population of 7,523.
The urban area of Kingsbury village itself had 4,168 inhabitants.
History
The name Kingsbury is derived from the Saxon Chinesburie meaning 'royal fortified house' or 'Kings Fort'. The 'bury' part of the name means 'fort' or 'defensive work'. The location of the church and remains of a medieval home (Kingsbury Hall) above the river suggest a good location for a 'defensive' work. Kingsbury Hall (or Bracebridge Hall as it was their family home for many years) is now only part lived in as a farmhouse. It was a fortified manor house and the remains of a curtain wall can still be seen. Kingsbury was founded by the same AnglesAngles
The Angles is a modern English term for a Germanic people who took their name from the ancestral cultural region of Angeln, a district located in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany...
tribe that established Curdworth and Minworth
Minworth
Minworth is a village on the outskirts of Birmingham in the West Midlands area of England. It is located near Walmley, Wishaw, Warwickshire, Curdworth, Thimble End and Castle Vale....
.
The village is mentioned in the Domesday survey. Two priests are recorded, so the church must have existed. So is Hemlingford Mill, which still exists. It was originally a water mill, used for many purposes including milling corn into flour and grinding gun barrels for muskets during the Napoleonic Wars. Later it was used as a garden centre. A bridge was built across the River Tame near to the mill in 1783. This was single carriageway so traffic lights were installed later on, until it was bypassed by a new road to serve the oil terminal in the 1960s. The centre section of the old bridge was swept away by a flash flood in the early 1980s and was replaced with modern concrete. It is now used for pedestrians only.
In 1473-4 during the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
there was a family dispute involving the Bracebridges and their distant relations, the Ardens (William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's maternal ancestors) of Park Hall in Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale,...
. John Arden had fallen in love with Alice Bracebridge. John's father, Sir Walter, did not approve. John was kidnapped and taken to Bracebridge Hall. Sir Walter appealed to King Edward IV, who appointed Sir Simon de Montford
Simon de Montford
Simon de Montford was an English nobleman who had the manor of Coleshill passed onto him from the de Clinton family. He built moated manor houses at Coleshill and Kingshurst...
of Coleshill
Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England, taking its name from the River Cole. It has a population of 6,343 and is situated east of Birmingham.-Location:...
and Sir Richard Bingham of Middleton
Middleton, Warwickshire
Middleton is a small village in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire, England.At the time of Domesday Middleton was under a Norman Overlord Hugh de Grantmaisnil who had several holdings in Warwickshire. When he died it passed to the Marmions of Tamworth. In 1291 the...
to arbitrate. John and Alice were married in February 1474. In 1502 John inherited Park Hall in Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale,...
, while his younger brother Thomas settled at Wilmcote near Stratford upon Avon. Thomas had a son Robert who was the father of Mary Arden, William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's mother.
The stones of the church porch show evidence of arrow-sharpening grooves, sometimes said to have been done by soldiers but more probably by hunting parties or locals waiting their turn for the nearby village butts, as all males had to be proficient with a longbow.
Until the 19th century Kingsbury was a small hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
, and the main landowner in the area was the Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
. The Birmingham and Derby Railway was built through Kingsbury in 1839 and industry was soon established, most notably coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
and gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
extraction, which fuelled the expansion of the village.
Kingsbury today
The mine, Kingsbury CollieryKingsbury Colliery
Kingsbury Colliery was a coal mine in Kingsbury, Warwickshire which operated between 1897 and 1968.It was opened in 1897 and changed the nature of the village almost overnight from a predominantly agriculturally based community to a mining village, and helped Kingsbury's expansion...
, has now gone and the railway station
Kingsbury railway station
Kingsbury railway station was a railway station which served the village of Kingsbury in Warwickshire, England.It was opened in 1839 with the building of the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway. The station closed in 1968. The station building has since been demolished, but the station master's...
was closed in 1968 under the 'Beeching
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
' cuts. although the station building has gone, the station master's house (built by LMS in 1926) still exists alongside the site. The large oil storage depots
Kingsbury Oil Terminal
Kingsbury Oil Terminal is an oil storage depot located to the northeast of the village of Kingsbury, Warwickshire, England. It was opened in the late 1960s and serves the Midlands region. It is the largest inland oil storage depot in the United Kingdom. The main operators at the site are BP,...
, which serve the whole of the Midlands, were established in the late-1960s to the northeast of Kingsbury.
Kingsbury Water Park
Kingsbury Water Park
Kingsbury Water Park is a country park in north Warwickshire, England, not far from Birmingham and lying on the River Tame. It is owned and managed by Warwickshire County Council. It has fifteen lakes situated in over 600 acres of country park. It is renowned for its birdlife, and is popular with...
, which is situated between Kingsbury and Bodymoor Heath, is a series of 15 lakes, situated in 600 acres (2.4 km²) of land. It was reclaimed from the old gravel pits. It is now home to a camp site, children's play areas, a sailing club, model boat club and jet ski and power boat racing clubs.
Kingsbury is now mainly a large commuter village. Although relatively small, the village has facilities and services including a [primary school], a secondary school
Kingsbury School, Warwickshire
Kingsbury School is a comprehensive school in the village of Kingsbury, Warwickshire, England. Its main catchment area is Kingsbury, but students also attend from a number of neighbouring villages, such as Hurley and Whitacre Heath, Picadilly, Wood End, Bodymoor Heath and Middleton.The school...
, a swimming pool (situated at the secondary school but open to the public), two pubs, the Swan and the Royal Oak, a country club, churches, a doctors' surgery and shops. In 2006 its population was in excess of 8,000 inhabitants and is frequently referred to as a small town rather than a village.
Neighbouring areas
TamworthTamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
, Atherstone
Atherstone
Atherstone is a town in Warwickshire, England. The town is located near the northernmost tip of Warwickshire, close to the border with Staffordshire and Leicestershire and is the administrative headquarters of the borough of North Warwickshire.-History:...
, Water Orton
Water Orton
Water Orton is a village near the River Tame in the North Warwickshire borough of Warwickshire in England. It is located between Castle Bromwich and Coleshill, and borders the West Midlands metropolitan county boundary to the north, west and south. At the last census in 2001, the population was...
, Coleshill
Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England, taking its name from the River Cole. It has a population of 6,343 and is situated east of Birmingham.-Location:...
, Curdworth, Minworth
Minworth
Minworth is a village on the outskirts of Birmingham in the West Midlands area of England. It is located near Walmley, Wishaw, Warwickshire, Curdworth, Thimble End and Castle Vale....
, Hurley
Hurley, Warwickshire
Hurley is a village in Warwickshire, England. It is located in the North Warwickshire district of the county, close to the village of Kingsbury and is part of the civil parish of its neighbour...
, Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
, Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
, Middleton
Middleton, Warwickshire
Middleton is a small village in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire, England.At the time of Domesday Middleton was under a Norman Overlord Hugh de Grantmaisnil who had several holdings in Warwickshire. When he died it passed to the Marmions of Tamworth. In 1291 the...
, Lea Marston
Lea Marston
Lea Marston is a village and civil parish on the River Tame in Warwickshire, England, about south-west of Atherstone. Lea Marston is close to the county boundary with Birmingham and about east of Sutton Coldfield.-Manor:...
, Whitacre Heath
Whitacre Heath
Whitacre Heath is a small village in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire in England.It is one of 'The Whitacres' - Whitacre Heath, Nether Whitacre and Over Whitacre. Whitacre Heath is actually the heath of Nether Whitacre and not a separate parish.Whitacre Heath is newer...
, Polesworth
Polesworth
Polesworth is a large village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 8,439, inclusive of the continuous sub-villages of St Helena, Dordon and Hall End directly to the south...
, Grendon
Grendon, Warwickshire
Grendon is a Village and Civil Parish in North Warwickshire it situated three miles west of Atherstone and five miles east of Tamworth.- Old Grendon :...
, Dordon
Dordon
Dordon is a village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire in England and close to the border with Staffordshire. The village is located on the A5 and is adjacent to Polesworth. Other nearby places include Grendon, Wood End, Baddesley Ensor, Atherstone,...
, Wishaw
Wishaw, Warwickshire
Wishaw is a village and civil parish in the north-west of Warwickshire, England. It is located within the district of North Warwickshire and is famous as the home of The Belfry golf resort, which has hosted the Ryder Cup on no less than four separate occasions...
, Bodymoor Heath
Bodymoor Heath
Bodymoor Heath is a small village in the North Warwickshire district of the county of Warwickshire in England, situated on, and with a bridge over, the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal close to the much larger village of Kingsbury....
, 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...
. District: North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire is a local government district and borough in Warwickshire, England. The main town in the district is Atherstone where the council is based...
.