Tettenhall
Encyclopedia
Tettenhall is a historic part of the city of Wolverhampton
, England. The name Tettenhall is probably derived from Teotta's Halh, Teotta being a person's name and Halh being a sheltered position. Tettenhall only became part of Wolverhampton
in 1966, along with Bilston
and Wednesfield
.
in 910 was the turning point in the battle against the Danish Viking invaders by the united forces of Edward the Elder
of Wessex and Ealdorman Æthelred of Mercia. It saw the crushing defeat of the last of the large Danish Viking armies to ravage England, including the deaths of the Danish Kings, Eowils and Healfdan. In more recent times, the north part of the village became known as "Danescourt".
The original "Teotta's Halh" was likely situated in the sheltered area below the ridge where the Church stands. This area, around Lower Green, was the original inhabited area of Tettenhall. In early English (Anglo-Saxon
) times, as the place name evidence tells us, there were many cleared woodland areas - areas where field and settlement would have been commonplace. These can be seen today by the place name ending "ley", from early English "lēah", meaning woodland clearing; Wrottesley
being one such example in the local area. Where most of the land was wooded, below the ridge ran, as it does today, the river Smestow
- though at this time, it was a larger stream than it is today, running through extensive marshy ground.
Tettenhall has an old church, St Michael and All Angels. An exact founding date for it is not known, though records of a fourteenth century dispute over village land tell us that the church had been founded during the reign of King Edgar - some point between 959
and 975
AD. The Domesday Book
of 1086 informs us that before the Norman conquest, Tettenhall was held by three Englishmen - Hunta, Wulfstan and Godwin. Of course as with the majority of England
, post conquest, William the Bastard gave the land to his followers.
There is a variety of pear known as 'Tettenhall Dick', named after Tettenhall, originally found in the hamlet of Perton
and dating to earlier than the 18th century. These small, dry pears are traditionally used for the making of perry. The Bees & Trees charity began a scheme to plant 2,000 Tettenhall Dick trees across the Midlands in a bid to save them, as very few of them existed any more. These trees were grafted from existing Tettenhall Dick trees and the scheme has proven to be a success with trees being planted in a variety of different locations. The variety is now part of the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale
.
The original route of the London to Holyhead road ran through Tettenhall, though on a different course to the current A41 Tettenhall Road
. The road, when heading north east from Wolverhampton
, ran behind the shops at Newbridge
, on bridges over the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
(when built in 1772) and the river Smestow
, and across to Old Hill, where a steep climb was had for any carriages on route. The road then cut across Upper Green, swayed left into Wrottesley road as far as Woodthorne Road, and then continuing on as the present Wergs Road. This route, because of the problems associated with carriages traversing the steep Old Hill, was looked at in the early seventeenth century by the Wolverhampton Trust and Thomas Telford
, with a view to engineering a new route - either around, under, or through the ridge. Due to a dispute Thomas Telford dropped out of the plans, leaving the Wolverhampton Trust to go it alone. The preferred method was a cutting through the ridge, with the course of the road sloping up on a gradual gradient from near the Newbridge
area, cutting through and rising above Lower Green, before the direct cutting through the ridge to come out next to Upper Green. The spoil from the cutting through the ridge is what was used to create the incline of the road. Work was completed in 1823.
s. Tettenhall Upper Green is situated on high ground near the edge of a ridge that runs in a broadly East-West direction, from Aldersley
to Perton
. To the North the ground is gently undulating and heads away from the urban conurbation of the West Midlands towards rural Staffordshire
and Shropshire
. To the South is a steep drop to the areas of Compton
, Newbridge
, Claregate
and Aldersley
before levelling out at Palmers Cross, and a Sweeping view of Wolverhampton City centre. The approach roads from the South run through man-made cuts in the sandstone to broach the steep ridge, the A41
at a stretch known as The Rock and further West at the minor roads, The Holloway and Wightwick Bank
.
The Upper Green has a large paddling pool, an extensive open grass area, a cricket pitch, practice nets and the clubhouse of Wolverhampton Cricket Club, where W. G. Grace
visited and played. The area is common land, donated by the Swindley family to the people of the parish.
Upper Green has a small shopping area overlooking the green and paddling pool. A clock tower, built in 1912 by the local Swindley family and donated to the parish to celebrate the coronation of King George V
, is a key landmark in Upper Green.
Tettenhall Lower Green is at the bottom of The Rock, near St. Michael and All Angels Church. It is a sloping grassy area, popular for sledging on snowy winter days, overlooked by The Mitre public house.
The parish church is St. Michael and All Angels, located at the base of the ridge, leading off Lower Green.
The A41
runs through the village green as a single carriageway road. Tettenhall was previously an Urban District in its own right, until most areas become part of the Borough of Wolverhampton in 1966, with some areas of the District being placed within the present South Staffordshire
district. Despite the relatively close proximity to Wolverhampton's city centre, Tettenhall retains its rural village character and a strong sense of identity within the residents, with many of the older generations in particular continuing to state their county of abode as Staffordshire.
There are two wards of Wolverhampton City Council which cover Tettenhall: Tettenhall Regis
(the northern part) and Tettenhall Wightwick
(the southern part).
Tettenhall is the final resting place of TV presenter Mark Speight
.
which is based in "Tettenhall Towers" the former home of the Thorneycroft family.
The King's C.E. School, formerly Regis Secondary School, is a a voluntary aided Church of England school for 11 to 19-year-olds, in Tettenhall. As part of the BSF programme
the School will be refurbished and will incorporate Tettenhall Wood Special School onto its site.
Christ Church Infants and Juniors are schools in the area, linked to the church of the same name, situated in Tettenhall Wood.
St Michael's CofE School and Woodthorne Primary School are also located here.
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...
, England. The name Tettenhall is probably derived from Teotta's Halh, Teotta being a person's name and Halh being a sheltered position. Tettenhall only became part of Wolverhampton
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...
in 1966, along with Bilston
Bilston
Bilston is a town in the English county of West Midlands, situated in the southeastern corner of the City of Wolverhampton. Three wards of Wolverhampton City Council cover the town: Bilston East and Bilston North, which almost entirely comprise parts of the historic Borough of Bilston, and...
and Wednesfield
Wednesfield
Wednesfield lies at , and is located to the northeast of Wolverhampton city centre on the northern fringe of the West Midlands conurbation...
.
History
The Battle of TettenhallBattle of Tettenhall
The Battle of Tettenhall took place, according to the Anglo Saxon Chronicle near Tettenhall, on the 5 August 910. The allied forces of Mercia and Wessex met an army of Northumbrian Vikings in Mercia...
in 910 was the turning point in the battle against the Danish Viking invaders by the united forces of Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder
Edward the Elder was an English king. He became king in 899 upon the death of his father, Alfred the Great. His court was at Winchester, previously the capital of Wessex...
of Wessex and Ealdorman Æthelred of Mercia. It saw the crushing defeat of the last of the large Danish Viking armies to ravage England, including the deaths of the Danish Kings, Eowils and Healfdan. In more recent times, the north part of the village became known as "Danescourt".
The original "Teotta's Halh" was likely situated in the sheltered area below the ridge where the Church stands. This area, around Lower Green, was the original inhabited area of Tettenhall. In early English (Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
) times, as the place name evidence tells us, there were many cleared woodland areas - areas where field and settlement would have been commonplace. These can be seen today by the place name ending "ley", from early English "lēah", meaning woodland clearing; Wrottesley
Wrottesley
Wrottesley may refer to:*Baron Wrottesley, a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom *Wrottesley , an impact crater on the Moon*Wrottesley Hall, Staffordshire...
being one such example in the local area. Where most of the land was wooded, below the ridge ran, as it does today, the river Smestow
Smestow Brook
The Smestow Brook, sometimes called the river Smestow, is a small river that plays an important part in the drainage of Wolverhampton, South Staffordshire, and parts of Dudley in the United Kingdom, and has contributed to the industrial development of the Black Country...
- though at this time, it was a larger stream than it is today, running through extensive marshy ground.
Tettenhall has an old church, St Michael and All Angels. An exact founding date for it is not known, though records of a fourteenth century dispute over village land tell us that the church had been founded during the reign of King Edgar - some point between 959
959
Year 959 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* October 1 – King Eadwig of England dies, and is succeeded by his brother Edgar, who effectively completes the unification of England.* Dunstan becomes bishop of Worcester, England and London.* Bruno I,...
and 975
975
Year 975 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Africa :* Al-Azhar University is founded in Cairo, Egypt .- Asia :...
AD. The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 informs us that before the Norman conquest, Tettenhall was held by three Englishmen - Hunta, Wulfstan and Godwin. Of course as with the majority 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...
, post conquest, William the Bastard gave the land to his followers.
There is a variety of pear known as 'Tettenhall Dick', named after Tettenhall, originally found in the hamlet of Perton
Perton
Perton is a large village and civil parish located in Staffordshire, England. It lies to the south of Codsall, and to the west of the city of Wolverhampton.-Perton:...
and dating to earlier than the 18th century. These small, dry pears are traditionally used for the making of perry. The Bees & Trees charity began a scheme to plant 2,000 Tettenhall Dick trees across the Midlands in a bid to save them, as very few of them existed any more. These trees were grafted from existing Tettenhall Dick trees and the scheme has proven to be a success with trees being planted in a variety of different locations. The variety is now part of the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale
Brogdale
Brogdale is a hamlet in Kent, England, located beside the M2 motorway south of Faversham. It is one of several hamlets making up the civil parish of Ospringe and is in the Borough of Swale....
.
The original route of the London to Holyhead road ran through Tettenhall, though on a different course to the current A41 Tettenhall Road
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
. The road, when heading north east from Wolverhampton
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...
, ran behind the shops at Newbridge
Newbridge, Wolverhampton
Newbridge is a suburb of the city of Wolverhampton, West Midlands in England. It is situated north-west of the city centre, on the A41 Tettenhall Road....
, on bridges over the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal is a narrow navigable canal in the English Midlands, passing through the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire....
(when built in 1772) and the river Smestow
Smestow Brook
The Smestow Brook, sometimes called the river Smestow, is a small river that plays an important part in the drainage of Wolverhampton, South Staffordshire, and parts of Dudley in the United Kingdom, and has contributed to the industrial development of the Black Country...
, and across to Old Hill, where a steep climb was had for any carriages on route. The road then cut across Upper Green, swayed left into Wrottesley road as far as Woodthorne Road, and then continuing on as the present Wergs Road. This route, because of the problems associated with carriages traversing the steep Old Hill, was looked at in the early seventeenth century by the Wolverhampton Trust and Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
, with a view to engineering a new route - either around, under, or through the ridge. Due to a dispute Thomas Telford dropped out of the plans, leaving the Wolverhampton Trust to go it alone. The preferred method was a cutting through the ridge, with the course of the road sloping up on a gradual gradient from near the Newbridge
Newbridge, Wolverhampton
Newbridge is a suburb of the city of Wolverhampton, West Midlands in England. It is situated north-west of the city centre, on the A41 Tettenhall Road....
area, cutting through and rising above Lower Green, before the direct cutting through the ridge to come out next to Upper Green. The spoil from the cutting through the ridge is what was used to create the incline of the road. Work was completed in 1823.
Tettenhall today
Tettenhall is one of only a handful of places in England to have two village greenVillage green
A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
s. Tettenhall Upper Green is situated on high ground near the edge of a ridge that runs in a broadly East-West direction, from Aldersley
Aldersley
Aldersley is a small suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is north-west of Wolverhampton city centre, within the Tettenhall Regis ward...
to Perton
Perton
Perton is a large village and civil parish located in Staffordshire, England. It lies to the south of Codsall, and to the west of the city of Wolverhampton.-Perton:...
. To the North the ground is gently undulating and heads away from the urban conurbation of the West Midlands towards rural 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...
and Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a 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. It borders Wales to the west...
. To the South is a steep drop to the areas of Compton
Compton, Wolverhampton
Compton is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is located to the west of Wolverhampton city centre on the A454, within the Tettenhall Wightwick ward.- History :...
, Newbridge
Newbridge, Wolverhampton
Newbridge is a suburb of the city of Wolverhampton, West Midlands in England. It is situated north-west of the city centre, on the A41 Tettenhall Road....
, Claregate
Claregate
Claregate is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is north-west of Wolverhampton city centre, within the Tettenhall Regis ward....
and Aldersley
Aldersley
Aldersley is a small suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is north-west of Wolverhampton city centre, within the Tettenhall Regis ward...
before levelling out at Palmers Cross, and a Sweeping view of Wolverhampton City centre. The approach roads from the South run through man-made cuts in the sandstone to broach the steep ridge, the A41
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
at a stretch known as The Rock and further West at the minor roads, The Holloway and Wightwick Bank
Wightwick
Wightwick is a part of Tettenhall Wightwick ward in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is named after an ancient local family the "de Wightwicks". It is on the western fringe of Wolverhampton and borders the rural South Staffordshire area that includes neighbourhoods such as Perton.Of note...
.
The Upper Green has a large paddling pool, an extensive open grass area, a cricket pitch, practice nets and the clubhouse of Wolverhampton Cricket Club, where W. G. Grace
W. G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace, MRCS, LRCP was an English amateur cricketer who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest players of all time, having a special significance in terms of his importance to the development of the sport...
visited and played. The area is common land, donated by the Swindley family to the people of the parish.
Upper Green has a small shopping area overlooking the green and paddling pool. A clock tower, built in 1912 by the local Swindley family and donated to the parish to celebrate the coronation of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, is a key landmark in Upper Green.
Tettenhall Lower Green is at the bottom of The Rock, near St. Michael and All Angels Church. It is a sloping grassy area, popular for sledging on snowy winter days, overlooked by The Mitre public house.
The parish church is St. Michael and All Angels, located at the base of the ridge, leading off Lower Green.
The A41
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
runs through the village green as a single carriageway road. Tettenhall was previously an Urban District in its own right, until most areas become part of the Borough of Wolverhampton in 1966, with some areas of the District being placed within the present South Staffordshire
South Staffordshire
South Staffordshire is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. The district lies to the north and west of Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, bordering Shropshire to the west and Worcestershire to the south...
district. Despite the relatively close proximity to Wolverhampton's city centre, Tettenhall retains its rural village character and a strong sense of identity within the residents, with many of the older generations in particular continuing to state their county of abode as Staffordshire.
There are two wards of Wolverhampton City Council which cover Tettenhall: Tettenhall Regis
Tettenhall Regis
Tettenhall Regis is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands.-Geography:It is one of two wards covering the Tettenhall area, the other being Tettenhall Wightwick. It is situated on the western edge of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Oxley, St Peter's, Park and Tettenhall...
(the northern part) and Tettenhall Wightwick
Tettenhall Wightwick
Tettenhall Wightwick is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands.-Geography:It is one of two wards covering the Tettenhall area, the other being Tettenhall Regis. It is situated on the western edge of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Tettenhall Regis, Park and Merry Hill...
(the southern part).
Tettenhall is the final resting place of TV presenter Mark Speight
Mark Speight
Mark Warwick Fordham Speight was an English television presenter, best known as the host of children's art programme SMart. Speight grew up in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, and left school at 16 to become a cartoonist...
.
Education
Tettenhall has its own public school Tettenhall CollegeTettenhall College
Tettenhall College is a mixed independent school located in the Wolverhampton suburb of Tettenhall.-History:The College was founded in 1863 by a group of prominent local businessmen and industrialists, most of who were associated with the Queen Street Congregational Church. Tettenhall Towers was...
which is based in "Tettenhall Towers" the former home of the Thorneycroft family.
The King's C.E. School, formerly Regis Secondary School, is a a voluntary aided Church of England school for 11 to 19-year-olds, in Tettenhall. As part of the BSF programme
Building Schools for the Future
Building Schools for the Future is the name of the previous UK Government's investment programme in secondary school buildings in England. The program is very ambitious in its costs, timescales and objectives, with politicians from all English political parties supportive of the principle but...
the School will be refurbished and will incorporate Tettenhall Wood Special School onto its site.
Christ Church Infants and Juniors are schools in the area, linked to the church of the same name, situated in Tettenhall Wood.
St Michael's CofE School and Woodthorne Primary School are also located here.
Further reading
- Geoffrey Hancock. A Tettenhall History. Broadside, 1991.
- Simon Whild. The History of Tettenhall College. Matador, 2008. ISBN 9781848761247