Quarry Bank
Encyclopedia
Quarry Bank is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
, West Midlands
, England
, which exists within the Brierley Hill
DY5 postal district.
Locally, the name is often pronounced, "Quarry Bonk" (In Black Country Dialect) The Black Country Bugle local newspaper
Originally the area was a remote part of the parish
of Kingswinford
, included in Pensnett Chase
. The earliest settlements in Quarry Bank were smallholdings, where an industrial worker such as a nailer lived. Early industrial development took place the early 17th century around the Cradley Forge.
Quarry Bank acquired its own parish status in September 1844. It had an urban sanitory authority and so became an urban district
of Staffordshire
from 1894. However in 1934, it amalgamated with the Brierley Hill
urban district. This became part of the county borough
of Dudley
in 1966 and then the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
in West Midlands since 1974.
Quarry Bank has become greatly affected by the adjacent Merry Hill Shopping Centre
(which was developed between 1984 and 1989) which has bought high volumes of traffic along the High Street. This has meant demolition of more than 30 homes on the main Merry Hill road in 1997, the closure of the top end of the former High Street
(now Sun Street) in 1998, and construction of a new replacement section of High Street to try and cope with traffic.
An unusual feature of Quarry Bank is its long steep High Street, hence "Bank", which slopes from the bottom end where it meets the neighbouring town of Cradley
to the top at the junction with Thorns Road. Clinging to the hillside and varying from very steep to almost flat, it has changed little, except for modernisation of shop fronts. Major retail chains have bypassed the town, leaving just small independent traders and public houses.
In 2008, Quarry Bank library was closed, despite protests by local residents and local councillors. The library building was then sold off by Dudley Council, to become a privately run gym. The money raised from the sale was used to fund improvements to libraries in other parts of the Borough. No satisfactory explanation was given by the council for the closure.
The library was replaced by what the council terms a "library link" in a local community centre.
This is open part-time, manned only 10 hours per week, and carries a tiny stock of books (1500) to serve a large community.
In 2011, Saltwells House, an historic house which Dudley Council had allowed to fall into decay was demolished. Future plans for the site are not known, though it is suspected the site will be sold off to private developers.
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
, 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...
, which exists within the Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
DY5 postal district.
Locally, the name is often pronounced, "Quarry Bonk" (In Black Country Dialect) The Black Country Bugle local newspaper
Originally the area was a remote part of the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Kingswinford
Kingswinford
Kingswinford is a suburban area in the West Midlands.Historically within Staffordshire, the area is mentioned in the Domesday Book its name relates to a ford for the King's swine - Latin Swinford Regis. The current significance is probably in tourism, education and housing...
, included in Pensnett Chase
Pensnett Chase
Pensnett Chase was an area of land owned by the Lords of Dudley Castle in the parishes of Kingswinford and Dudley . As a chase, it was reserved for them to hunt game in...
. The earliest settlements in Quarry Bank were smallholdings, where an industrial worker such as a nailer lived. Early industrial development took place the early 17th century around the Cradley Forge.
Quarry Bank acquired its own parish status in September 1844. It had an urban sanitory authority and so became an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
of Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
from 1894. However in 1934, it amalgamated with the Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill
Brierley Hill is a town and electoral ward of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England. It is one of the larger Black Country towns with a population of 9,631 and is heavily industrialised, best known for glass and steel manufacturing, although the industry has declined...
urban district. This became part of the county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
of Dudley
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
in 1966 and then the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
in West Midlands since 1974.
Quarry Bank has become greatly affected by the adjacent Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Westfield Merry Hill is a shopping centre in Brierley Hill near Dudley, West Midlands, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several expansion and renovation projects taking place since. The original developers and owners were Richardson Developments but the Centre has had a number...
(which was developed between 1984 and 1989) which has bought high volumes of traffic along the High Street. This has meant demolition of more than 30 homes on the main Merry Hill road in 1997, the closure of the top end of the former High Street
High Street
High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...
(now Sun Street) in 1998, and construction of a new replacement section of High Street to try and cope with traffic.
An unusual feature of Quarry Bank is its long steep High Street, hence "Bank", which slopes from the bottom end where it meets the neighbouring town of Cradley
Cradley
Places in the United Kingdom called Cradley:*Cradley, West Midlands*Cradley Heath, also in the West Midlands*Cradley, Herefordshire...
to the top at the junction with Thorns Road. Clinging to the hillside and varying from very steep to almost flat, it has changed little, except for modernisation of shop fronts. Major retail chains have bypassed the town, leaving just small independent traders and public houses.
In 2008, Quarry Bank library was closed, despite protests by local residents and local councillors. The library building was then sold off by Dudley Council, to become a privately run gym. The money raised from the sale was used to fund improvements to libraries in other parts of the Borough. No satisfactory explanation was given by the council for the closure.
The library was replaced by what the council terms a "library link" in a local community centre.
This is open part-time, manned only 10 hours per week, and carries a tiny stock of books (1500) to serve a large community.
In 2011, Saltwells House, an historic house which Dudley Council had allowed to fall into decay was demolished. Future plans for the site are not known, though it is suspected the site will be sold off to private developers.