Sandwell Valley
Encyclopedia
Sandwell Valley is an area of green belt
in the West Midlands
of England
, on the border of Birmingham
and West Bromwich
, with Walsall
at its northern end.
It is a valley
on the River Tame
of which 720 hectares (1,779.2 acre) are owned by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, with the RSPB leasing 25 acres
}} as RSPB Sandwell Valley
nature reserve
. Within this large area, is the 270 hectares (667.2 acre) Sandwell Valley Country Park, which contains two visitor centres, Forge Mill Farm and Sandwell Park Farm, the former using modern farm
ing techniques, the latter with a walled kitchen garden and rare breeds of farm animal
s, one of 16 farm parks approved nationally by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
.
Sot's Hole is one of three Local Nature Reserves in the Country Park, and lies on the edge of the site on Dagger Lane/Church Vale, West Bromwich. In an effort to protect and restore the reserve, a group of local people joined together in November 2005 and formed the Friends of Sot's Hole.
The earliest evidence of people in Sandwell Valley is in the form of flint tools from the Mesolithic period
, but evidence of later periods is also present in the landscape, including the site of Sandwell Hall (home of the Earls of Dartmouth
) and Priory Ruins (still evident today). Exhibitions at Sandwell Park Farm tell the story of the people who lived here.
The M5 motorway
bisects the Country Park, with the intersection between it and the M6
(considered Junction 8 of the M6) at the northern end, and junction 1 of the M5 to the south. The latter junction surrounds a surviving gatehouse
from the hall. The Birmingham-Walsall Line
, part of the former Grand Junction Railway
, opened in 1837, runs through the northern end of the valley, with Hamstead railway station
being the nearest. The former Newton Road railway station
having closed some years ago.
The highest point of Sandwell Valley is in Birmingham and is known as Hill Top, where the remains of a World War II
gun emplacement
can still be found (at
The Country Park's fauna and flora are studied by the Sandwell Valley Naturalists' Club (SandNats).
Adjacent areas include Great Barr
, Hamstead
and Handsworth Wood
.
Green Belt (UK)
In United Kingdom town planning, the green belt is a policy for controlling urban growth. The idea is for a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where agriculture, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail...
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...
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...
, on the border 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...
and West Bromwich
West Bromwich
West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
, with Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
at its northern end.
It is a valley
Valley
In geology, a valley or dale is a depression with predominant extent in one direction. A very deep river valley may be called a canyon or gorge.The terms U-shaped and V-shaped are descriptive terms of geography to characterize the form of valleys...
on 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...
of which 720 hectares (1,779.2 acre) are owned by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, with the RSPB leasing 25 acres
}} as RSPB Sandwell Valley
RSPB Sandwell Valley
Sandwell Valley RSPB reserve is a nature reserve, run by the RSPB, in Sandwell Valley, to the north of West Bromwich, in the Sandwell borough of West Midlands in England. It is adjacent to, and shares its main lake with, Sandwell Valley Country Park....
nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
. Within this large area, is the 270 hectares (667.2 acre) Sandwell Valley Country Park, which contains two visitor centres, Forge Mill Farm and Sandwell Park Farm, the former using modern farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
ing techniques, the latter with a walled kitchen garden and rare breeds of farm animal
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
s, one of 16 farm parks approved nationally by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Rare Breeds Survival Trust
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust is a conservation charity, whose purpose is to secure the continued existence and viability of the United Kingdom’s native farm animal genetic resources...
.
Sot's Hole is one of three Local Nature Reserves in the Country Park, and lies on the edge of the site on Dagger Lane/Church Vale, West Bromwich. In an effort to protect and restore the reserve, a group of local people joined together in November 2005 and formed the Friends of Sot's Hole.
The earliest evidence of people in Sandwell Valley is in the form of flint tools from the Mesolithic period
Mesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
, but evidence of later periods is also present in the landscape, including the site of Sandwell Hall (home of the Earls of Dartmouth
Earl of Dartmouth
Earl of Dartmouth is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1711 for William Legge, 2nd Baron Dartmouth. The Legge family descended from Edward Legge, Vice-President of Munster. His eldest son William Legge was a Royalist army officer and close associate of Prince Rupert of the...
) and Priory Ruins (still evident today). Exhibitions at Sandwell Park Farm tell the story of the people who lived here.
The M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
bisects the Country Park, with the intersection between it and 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...
(considered Junction 8 of the M6) at the northern end, and junction 1 of the M5 to the south. The latter junction surrounds a surviving gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
from the hall. The Birmingham-Walsall Line
Chase Line
The Chase Line is the railway line from Birmingham New Street to Walsall and Rugeley.-Overview:The line from Birmingham to Walsall has two alternative routes, both of which are electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
, part of the former Grand Junction Railway
Grand Junction Railway
The Grand Junction Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed between 1833 and 1846 when it was merged into the London and North Western Railway...
, opened in 1837, runs through the northern end of the valley, with Hamstead railway station
Hamstead railway station
Hamstead railway station serves the Hamstead, Great Barr and Handsworth Wood areas of the West Midlands, England, located at the junction of Rocky Lane and Old Walsall Road, in the city of Birmingham, on its border with Sandwell. It is situated on the Birmingham-Walsall Line, part of the former...
being the nearest. The former Newton Road railway station
Newton Road railway station
Newton Road railway station was a station of the London and North Western Railway in Sandwell between West Bromwich and Great Barr, England. It lay between Hamstead and the later Tame Bridge Parkway stations on the Chase Line....
having closed some years ago.
The highest point of Sandwell Valley is in Birmingham and is known as Hill Top, where the remains of a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
gun emplacement
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
can still be found (at
The Country Park's fauna and flora are studied by the Sandwell Valley Naturalists' Club (SandNats).
Adjacent areas include Great Barr
Great Barr
Great Barr is a large and loosely-defined area which straddles the boundaries of Birmingham, West Bromwich and Walsall , West Midlands, England...
, Hamstead
Hamstead, West Midlands
Hamstead is an area of Birmingham, England, between Handsworth Wood and Great Barr, and adjacent to the Sandwell Valley area of West Bromwich. Historically it has its foundations as part of the Hamstead Colliery from the early to mid 20th Century with a lot of the housing have been built for the...
and Handsworth Wood
Handsworth Wood
Handsworth Wood is a loosely defined area in the north west of Birmingham, England. It is also a ward within the formal district of Perry Barr. Located within the metropolitan county of the West Midlands since April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, it was previously a part of the...
.