Kingshurst
Encyclopedia
Kingshurst is a post war housing estate and civil parish
in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
, in the West Midlands
. It lies about 9 miles (14.5 km) east of Birmingham
city centre. The Smith's Wood
area of Solihull
borders it to the north and east, Fordbridge
to the south and the Shard End
area of Birmingham to the west.
. Tenant farming was administered from here and Simon de Montford
of Coleshill was an English
nobleman who built a moated manor house near Kingshurst. The Hall had its own park and farmlands.
The Mountfords trace their ancestry back to Gilbert de Gant, who fought with William the Conqueror in 1066. He married Alice, daughter of Hugh de Montfort, another of the knights who accompanied Duke William on his English expedition. As a result of this connection Gilbert's son, named Hugh de Gant, changed his name to Hugh de Monfort and from then on the name continued becoming Mountford by the 15th century.
and in 1962 the hall was demolished.
The remains of the moat
of Kingshurst Hall are still visible today.
, much of the woodland in Kingshurst was cut down to help with the war effort. The Birmingham and District Association of Boy Scouts
were able to buy a patch of land at a bargain price and set up a permanent camp there. This land was half way between Kingshurst and Shard End
. It was called Yorkswood and opened in 1923. There were five camp fields, covering an area of 25 acres (101,171.5 m²). The total site was over 200 acre (0.809372 km²). The site benefited from permanent washhouses and latrines, a swimming pool, a training centre and headquarters, guesthouse, warden’s hut and other huts. A small brook from a fresh water spring ran past the camp and Cock Sparrow Farm was about 100 yards (91.4 m) away to provide fresh milk.
The entrance to the camp was flanked by a series of griffin statues. These had come from the roof of Lewis's Department Store on Corporation Street
in Birmingham when it was being renovated. After the camp closed in 1972, they were placed upon the housing estate (Kendrick Avenue and nearby roads) built upon the site of the camp.
in 1974.
There are three primary schools, Kingshurst, St. Anthonys and Yorkswood, a library and a small shopping area. The Anglican church is dedicated to St Barnabas and is situated off Church Close, the Catholic
church is dedicated to St Anthony and there is a Methodist Church situated in Gilson Way. The nearest secondary schools are Smith's Wood School, across the Chester Road in Smith's Wood, the CTC Kingshurst Academy, and Archbishop Grimshaw Roman Catholic School which are off Cooks Lane. There is a small local park off Gilson Way/Marston Drive next to a main shopping area. The children's play area is the main facility with the freedom to play outdoor games and activities.
According to the 2001 census, Kingshurst has a population of 8,126.
, the former Aston Villa
footballer, was born at a house on Meriden Drive in January 1961 and lived there until the 1980s
, by which time he was established as a key player at Villa.
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...
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...
, in the 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...
. It lies about 9 miles (14.5 km) east 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...
city centre. The Smith's Wood
Smith's Wood
Smith's Wood is a residential area in the north of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. It is a civil parish with a population of 10,943, according to the 2001 census....
area of 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...
borders it to the north and east, Fordbridge
Fordbridge
Fordbridge is a civil parish and suburb between Kingshurst and Chelmsley Wood in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, which is in the West Midlands county, and also part of the West Midlands conurbation. It is east of Birmingham City Centre. It has a town council...
to the south and the Shard End
Shard End
Shard End is an area of Birmingham, England. It is also a ward within the formal district of Hodge Hill. Shard End borders Castle Bromwich to the north and Kingshurst to the east which are situated in the northern part of the neighbouring Metropolitan Borough of Solihull.-Pre-War:Before the end of...
area of Birmingham to the west.
History
The name Kingshurst comes from having previously being a Royal Manor, and 'hurst' meaning wood. The earliest record of Kingshurst is in documents from the late 13th and early 14th centuries, when it is referred to as part of the Manor of ColeshillColeshill, 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:...
. Tenant farming was administered from here and 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 was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
nobleman who built a moated manor house near Kingshurst. The Hall had its own park and farmlands.
The Mountfords 1332-1618
Kingshurst took on an independent existence from Coleshill with the arrival of the Mountfords. It is unclear how Kingshurst came into their possession although it is probable that they bought the area around 1332 from the Clintons, who were then Lords of the Manor at Coleshill. What is certain is that they were in possession by about 1352.The Mountfords trace their ancestry back to Gilbert de Gant, who fought with William the Conqueror in 1066. He married Alice, daughter of Hugh de Montfort, another of the knights who accompanied Duke William on his English expedition. As a result of this connection Gilbert's son, named Hugh de Gant, changed his name to Hugh de Monfort and from then on the name continued becoming Mountford by the 15th century.
The end of Kingshurst Hall
The last proprietor of Kingshurst Hall, Walter Townsend, lacked the means to prevent the house from falling into a state of disrepair. All plans to salvage it came to nothing, due to a lack of funds. In 1960, Walter was moved to a house in Castle BromwichCastle 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,...
and in 1962 the hall was demolished.
The remains of the moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
of Kingshurst Hall are still visible today.
Yorkswood
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, much of the woodland in Kingshurst was cut down to help with the war effort. The Birmingham and District Association of Boy Scouts
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
were able to buy a patch of land at a bargain price and set up a permanent camp there. This land was half way between Kingshurst and Shard End
Shard End
Shard End is an area of Birmingham, England. It is also a ward within the formal district of Hodge Hill. Shard End borders Castle Bromwich to the north and Kingshurst to the east which are situated in the northern part of the neighbouring Metropolitan Borough of Solihull.-Pre-War:Before the end of...
. It was called Yorkswood and opened in 1923. There were five camp fields, covering an area of 25 acres (101,171.5 m²). The total site was over 200 acre (0.809372 km²). The site benefited from permanent washhouses and latrines, a swimming pool, a training centre and headquarters, guesthouse, warden’s hut and other huts. A small brook from a fresh water spring ran past the camp and Cock Sparrow Farm was about 100 yards (91.4 m) away to provide fresh milk.
The entrance to the camp was flanked by a series of griffin statues. These had come from the roof of Lewis's Department Store on Corporation Street
Corporation Street, Birmingham
Corporation Street is a main shopping street in Birmingham city centre, England.It runs from the law courts at its northern end to the centre of New Street at its southern.- Planning :...
in Birmingham when it was being renovated. After the camp closed in 1972, they were placed upon the housing estate (Kendrick Avenue and nearby roads) built upon the site of the camp.
Kingshurst today
Kingshurst is now a mainly residential area. Built as an overspill housing estate built in the early 1950s for the City of Birmingham, it became part of the Metropolitan Borough of SolihullMetropolitan 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...
in 1974.
There are three primary schools, Kingshurst, St. Anthonys and Yorkswood, a library and a small shopping area. The Anglican church is dedicated to St Barnabas and is situated off Church Close, the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
church is dedicated to St Anthony and there is a Methodist Church situated in Gilson Way. The nearest secondary schools are Smith's Wood School, across the Chester Road in Smith's Wood, the CTC Kingshurst Academy, and Archbishop Grimshaw Roman Catholic School which are off Cooks Lane. There is a small local park off Gilson Way/Marston Drive next to a main shopping area. The children's play area is the main facility with the freedom to play outdoor games and activities.
According to the 2001 census, Kingshurst has a population of 8,126.
Notable residents
Gary ShawGary Shaw
Gary Shaw was an English football striker who played for Aston Villa in the early 1980s. His goals helped Aston Villa win the English First Division championship in 1980–81 and the European Cup the following year - the only Birmingham-born player in the team. In 1981 he was voted PFA Young Player...
, the former Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
footballer, was born at a house on Meriden Drive in January 1961 and lived there until the 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
, by which time he was established as a key player at Villa.
Parish council
Kingshurst has a parish council, to which it elects 12 members every four years.External links
- Map of Kingshurst
- City Technology College
- http://www.northsolihull.co.uk/ North Solihull Regeneration Website