Wednesfield
Encyclopedia
Wednesfield lies at 52.5998°N 2.0817°W (52.5998°, -2.0817°), and is located to the northeast of Wolverhampton city centre on the northern fringe of the West Midlands conurbation
. It is historically part of the county
of Staffordshire
, and since 1974 has been part of the West Midlands
metropolitan county
.
The south of the town lies over coal
measures whilst the town centre has dolerite deposits and the area to the north lies over mudstone
and sandstone
. The town lies on generally flat land between 130m and 140m above sea level, rising to around 170m in the north.
There are no navigable rivers within the town, although the original course of the River Tame
crossed the south-east of the town.
Following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
, Wednesfield formed part of the Wolverhampton Poor Law Union
, an inter-parish unit established to provide social security
. This replaced an earlier arrangement where the Parish had operated a workhouse
on Old Heath Road since 1723. In 1863 the Wednesfield Local Board of Health
was established. With reference to the Local Government Act 1858, it was a regulatory body responsible for standards of hygiene and sanitation in the township, and replaced an earlier Sanitary Committee that was established in 1856. The Local Board was only in existence for three years before being split into two, one for Wednesfield itself, and one for Wednesfield Heath
.
Following the Local Government Act 1894
, the rump of the parish (minus Wednesfield Heath and part of what became Short Heath
Urban District) became an urban district
within the administrative county
of Staffordshire
.
With the exception of a loss of 24 acres (with a census population of 224) to the County Borough
of Wolverhampton
in 1933, the Urban District remained intact until 1966, when due to the provisions of the Local Government Act 1958
, most of the Wednesfield Urban District was merged into Wolverhampton County Borough, though some parts were incorporated into Walsall County Borough
and others into Cannock
Rural District
, now part of South Staffordshire
district.
In the early 1950s
, Wolverhampton council developed two overspill estates - Ashmore Park
and Long Knowle - in Wednesfield to rehouse families from slums in the town.
For electoral purposes, Wednesfield is represented by the wards of Wednesfield North
, Wednesfield South
and Fallings Park
, which together make up the Wednesfield and Fallings Park LANA (Local Area and Neighbourhood Arrangements).
It is part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency and is represented in the House of Commons by Emma Reynolds
(a member of the Labour Party
) following her election on 6th May 2010.
s, to mantrap
s and locks. Many of the factories that dominated the area have been cleared to make way for houses and other buildings.
of St. Peter's Collegiate Church
, Wolverhampton
and known as the Chapel of St. Thomas in Wednesfield. It became a separate parish in 1849. It was almost completely destroyed by fire on 18 January 1902, as a result of which the tower is the only remaining part of the original building. The church was reconstructed in similar style to the original and continues in active use as a place of worship.
The Guru Nanak Gurdwara
was opened in 1984 and is also located in the town centre, and caters for the local Sikh
community, many of whom are descendants of those who immigrated to the area in the 1950s and onwards. A part of the Gurdwara suffered fire damage in 2002 so the comittee decided to demolish the original building and the rebuild was ready by 2005, it has lifts for the elderly to make it easier to get up and down.
Wednesfield Town Centre (or 'the village' as it is still referred to by many residents) provides a range of shopping, office and community facilities for residents in the north east of Wolverhampton
and some adjoining parts of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
, along with services for the major industrial areas to the south of the town and New Cross Hospital
. Just to the west of the town centre, there is a large Sainsbury's supermarket and the Bentley Bridge Retail Park
. There is also a retail market
.
Bentley Bridge consistes of both leisure and retail components. The leisure component is in the form of a multiplex
cinema
and bowling
alley together with fast food outlets, a pub, numerous restaurants, whilst there is 14,700m² of retail space which includes a fitness gym.
The proximity to Wolverhampton city centre has been a major constraint on retail economic growth within the town. Wednesfield is part of a network of lower order Black Country
town centres, providing principally convenience shopping facilities for a local catchment area and it is surrounded by centres with a similar role including Bilston
to the south, Willenhall
to the south east and Bloxwich
to the east.
However since 2009 the Bentley Bridge Retail Park has thrived with empty units being filled by national retailers. In September 2011 retailer TK Maxx announced plans to close it's city centre store in Wolverhampton and relocate to Bentley Bridge . Whilst the retail park thrives, local independent traders on the high street continue to suffer due to economic circumstances.
The area to the south of the former railway line is characterised by industrial development, mostly with small units although there is some larger development such a steel
processing and distribution plant. Historically, the main industries were coal mining
and trap
making, although mining ceased in the area in the early twentieth century.
running through the town was opened in 1797. It was constructed to allow coal traffic to travel between mines near Great Wyrley
and Wolverhampton
, and was constructed following the contours of the land. This meant that the centre of the town was surrounded on three sides by the canal, and that almost all of the pre-existing roads required hump-backed bridges, and despite the improvement in communications and the potential for transporting goods via the canal, it is recorded that some local residents felt that it actually obstructed the development of the town, rather than assisting it. A second canal through the town, the Bentley Canal
, opened in 1843 between Wednesfield Junction, near the modern New Cross Hospital
, and Walsall
. The canal was abandoned in the 1960s, and only a short section at Wednesfield Junction is extant.
Wednesfield railway station
on the Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway
was opened in 1872, connecting the town with Wolverhampton High Level
and Walsall
. It was operated by the Midland Railway
, and was located on Neachells Lane to the south of the town centre. It closed to passenger traffic in 1931, although it remained open for goods traffic until the 1980s. Much of the trackbed was reused for the A4124 Wednesfield Way, which bypasses the town centre and opened in 1999.
The first railway within the township was the Grand Junction Railway
, where Wednesfield Heath railway station
(opened in 1837) was the primary station for Wolverhampton
, and was located on Station Road, Heath Town
. The station was replaced by Wolverhampton High Level in the city centre, and closed to passengers in 1873 whilst remaining open for goods traffic until 1965. The siting of this station at Heath Town has been cited as a reason for the separation of Wednesfield and Heath Town.
Public transport in Wednesfield is coordinated by Centro
, the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive and Authority, which promotes and develops public transport across the West Midlands
. Most bus services within the town are operated by National Express West Midlands
, with services from the town centre to destinations including Wolverhampton city centre, Bilston
, Bloxwich
and Willenhall
. The 59 bus route which runs from Wolverhampton city centre to Ashmore Park via New Cross Hospital and Wednesfield High Street is the most frequent in the city.
An extension of the Midland Metro
through Wednesfield is planned, on the "5Ws" route from Wolverhampton to Wednesbury
via Willenhall and Walsall
.
, Olympic gymnast Hayley Price
, ex-England rugby union player Martin Cooper
, Apprentice runner-up Ruth Badger
, Darts player Wayne Jones
and recent X Factor contestants 4Sure.
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
. It is historically part of the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
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...
, and since 1974 has been part of 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...
metropolitan county
Metropolitan county
The metropolitan counties are a type of county-level administrative division of England. There are six metropolitan counties, which each cover large urban areas, typically with populations of 1.2 to 2.8 million...
.
The south of the town lies over coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
measures whilst the town centre has dolerite deposits and the area to the north lies over mudstone
Mudstone
Mudstone is a fine grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Grain size is up to 0.0625 mm with individual grains too small to be distinguished without a microscope. With increased pressure over time the platey clay minerals may become aligned, with the...
and sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. The town lies on generally flat land between 130m and 140m above sea level, rising to around 170m in the north.
There are no navigable rivers within the town, although the original course of 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...
crossed the south-east of the town.
Governance
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834
The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, sometimes abbreviated to PLAA, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Lord Melbourne that reformed the country's poverty relief system . It was an Amendment Act that completely replaced earlier legislation based on the...
, Wednesfield formed part of the Wolverhampton Poor Law Union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
, an inter-parish unit established to provide social security
Social security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
. This replaced an earlier arrangement where the Parish had operated a workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
on Old Heath Road since 1723. In 1863 the Wednesfield Local Board of Health
Local board of health
Local Boards or Local Boards of Health were local authorities in urban areas of England and Wales from 1848 to 1894. They were formed in response to cholera epidemics and were given powers to control sewers, clean the streets, regulate slaughterhouses and ensure the proper supply of water to their...
was established. With reference to the Local Government Act 1858, it was a regulatory body responsible for standards of hygiene and sanitation in the township, and replaced an earlier Sanitary Committee that was established in 1856. The Local Board was only in existence for three years before being split into two, one for Wednesfield itself, and one for Wednesfield Heath
Heath Town
Heath Town is a district of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, located ENE of the city centre. It is also a ward of Wolverhampton City Council. The ward forms part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency....
.
Following the Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
, the rump of the parish (minus Wednesfield Heath and part of what became Short Heath
Short Heath
Short Heath is the name of these places in England:*Short Heath, Derbyshire*Short Heath, Birmingham*Short Heath, Willenhall...
Urban District) 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....
within the administrative county
Administrative counties of England
Administrative counties were a level of subnational division of England used for the purposes of local government from 1889 to 1974. They were created by the Local Government Act 1888 as the areas for which county councils were elected. Some large counties were divided into several administrative...
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...
.
| Partition of Wednesfield Urban District in 1966 | ||
|---|---|---|
| |Population | Area (acres) | |
| Wednesfield UD | 33,048 | 1,018 |
| Wolverhampton CB | 32,798 | 812 |
| Walsall CB | 215 | 36 |
| Cannock RD | 35 | 170 |
| Source: Vision of Britain | ||
With the exception of a loss of 24 acres (with a census population of 224) to 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 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 1933, the Urban District remained intact until 1966, when due to the provisions of the Local Government Act 1958
Local Government Act 1958
The Local Government Act 1958 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom affecting local government in England and Wales outside London...
, most of the Wednesfield Urban District was merged into Wolverhampton County Borough, though some parts were incorporated into Walsall County Borough
Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall is a local government district in the Black Country part of the West Midlands, England, with the status of a metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Walsall, but covers a larger area which also includes the towns of Aldridge, Brownhills,...
and others into Cannock
Cannock
Cannock is the most populous of three towns in the district of Cannock Chase in the central southern part of the county of Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England....
Rural District
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
, now part of 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.
In the early 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
, Wolverhampton council developed two overspill estates - Ashmore Park
Ashmore Park
Ashmore Park is a large housing estate just outside of Wednesfield, in England. It is now in the city of Wolverhampton, West Midlands and was located within the historic county boundaries of Staffordshire...
and Long Knowle - in Wednesfield to rehouse families from slums in the town.
For electoral purposes, Wednesfield is represented by the wards of Wednesfield North
Wednesfield North
Wednesfield North is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands. As the name suggests, it covers the northern parts of the town of Wednesfield. It borders the Wednesfield South, Heath Town and Fallings Park wards, as well as South Staffordshire and the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall...
, Wednesfield South
Wednesfield South
Wednesfield South is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, in the English county of West Midlands. It covers the southern and eastern parts of the town of Wednesfield, as well its town centre. It borders the East Park, Heath Town and Wednesfield North wards, as well as the Metropolitan Borough of...
and Fallings Park
Fallings Park
Fallings Park is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands and a ward of Wolverhampton City Council. It is situated in the north-east of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Wednesfield North, Heath Town, Bushbury South and Low Hill and Bushbury North wards. It forms part of the...
, which together make up the Wednesfield and Fallings Park LANA (Local Area and Neighbourhood Arrangements).
It is part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency and is represented in the House of Commons by Emma Reynolds
Emma Reynolds
Emma Elizabeth Reynolds is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Wolverhampton North East since 2010.-Early life:...
(a member of the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
) following her election on 6th May 2010.
History
Wednesfield was formerly well-known for making all kinds of traps, from mousetrapMousetrap
A mousetrap is a specialized type of animal trap designed primarily to catch mice; however, it may also trap other small animals. Mousetraps are usually set in an indoor location where there is a suspected infestation of rodents. There are various types of mousetrap, each with its own advantages...
s, to mantrap
Mantrap
Mantraps are physical security devices or constructions designed to entrap a human on purpose.-Historical usage:Historically, mantraps were mechanical devices for catching poachers and trespassers. The devices have taken many forms, the most usual being like a large foothold trap, the steel springs...
s and locks. Many of the factories that dominated the area have been cleared to make way for houses and other buildings.
| Historical population of Wednesfield | ||||||||||||||||||
| Year | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1939 | 1951 | 1961 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,088 | 1,248 | 1,468 | 1,879 | 3,168 | 4,858 | 8,553 | 8,998 | 10,801 | 14,538 | 4,883 | 6,488 | 7,446 | 9,330 | 14,894 | 17,418 | 33,048 | 33,555 |
| Township 1801-1891 Urban District 1901-1961 LANA 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||
Religion
The Church of St Thomas is located in the town centre. It was originally consecrated in August 1750, as a chapel of easeChapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
of St. Peter's Collegiate Church
St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton
St. Peter's Collegiate Church is located on the highest and the oldest developed site in central Wolverhampton, England. For many centuries it was a chapel royal, and from 1480 a royal peculiar, independent of the Diocese of Lichfield and even the Province of Canterbury. The collegiate church was...
, 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...
and known as the Chapel of St. Thomas in Wednesfield. It became a separate parish in 1849. It was almost completely destroyed by fire on 18 January 1902, as a result of which the tower is the only remaining part of the original building. The church was reconstructed in similar style to the original and continues in active use as a place of worship.
The Guru Nanak Gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
was opened in 1984 and is also located in the town centre, and caters for the local Sikh
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
community, many of whom are descendants of those who immigrated to the area in the 1950s and onwards. A part of the Gurdwara suffered fire damage in 2002 so the comittee decided to demolish the original building and the rebuild was ready by 2005, it has lifts for the elderly to make it easier to get up and down.
Economy
| Economic status of residents | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2001 UK Census United Kingdom Census 2001 A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194.... |
Wednesfield | 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... (borough) |
| Full-time | 39.4% | 37.5% |
| Part-time | 12.7% | 11.3% |
| Unemployed | 3.9% | 5.3% |
| Other Active | 7.2% | 8.0% |
| Inactive | 37.0% | 37.8% |
| Source: Wolverhampton City Council | ||
Wednesfield Town Centre (or 'the village' as it is still referred to by many residents) provides a range of shopping, office and community facilities for residents in the north east 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...
and some adjoining parts of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall is a local government district in the Black Country part of the West Midlands, England, with the status of a metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Walsall, but covers a larger area which also includes the towns of Aldridge, Brownhills,...
, along with services for the major industrial areas to the south of the town and New Cross Hospital
New Cross Hospital
New Cross Hospital is a hospital in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is located to the east of the city centre in Wednesfield....
. Just to the west of the town centre, there is a large Sainsbury's supermarket and the Bentley Bridge Retail Park
Bentley Bridge Retail Park
Bentley Bridge Retail Park is an extensive modern retail park located in the Wednesfield area of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands. It has been developed since the late 1990s, to the south of Wednesfield town centre....
. There is also a retail market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
.
Bentley Bridge consistes of both leisure and retail components. The leisure component is in the form of a multiplex
Multiplex (movie theater)
A multiplex is a movie theater complex with multiple screens, typically three or more. They are usually housed in a specially designed building. Sometimes, an existing venue undergoes a renovation where the existing auditoriums are split into smaller ones, or more auditoriums are added in an...
cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
and bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
alley together with fast food outlets, a pub, numerous restaurants, whilst there is 14,700m² of retail space which includes a fitness gym.
The proximity to Wolverhampton city centre has been a major constraint on retail economic growth within the town. Wednesfield is part of a network of lower order Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
town centres, providing principally convenience shopping facilities for a local catchment area and it is surrounded by centres with a similar role including 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...
to the south, Willenhall
Willenhall
Willenhall is a town in the Black Country area of the West Midlands of England, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is situated between Wolverhampton and Walsall, historically in the county of Staffordshire...
to the south east and Bloxwich
Bloxwich
Bloxwich is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, West Midlands, England, with a population of around 40,000 people.-Early history:Bloxwich has its origins at least as early as the Anglo-Saxon period, when the place name evidence suggests it was a small Mercian settlement named after the...
to the east.
However since 2009 the Bentley Bridge Retail Park has thrived with empty units being filled by national retailers. In September 2011 retailer TK Maxx announced plans to close it's city centre store in Wolverhampton and relocate to Bentley Bridge . Whilst the retail park thrives, local independent traders on the high street continue to suffer due to economic circumstances.
The area to the south of the former railway line is characterised by industrial development, mostly with small units although there is some larger development such a steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
processing and distribution plant. Historically, the main industries were 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 trap
Trap (tactic)
A trap is a device intended to catch an intruder or prey. "Trap" may also refer to the tactic of catching or harming an adversary. Conversely it may also mean a hindrance for change, being caught in a trap.-Device:*Animal trapping*Bird trapping...
making, although mining ceased in the area in the early twentieth century.
Transport
The Wyrley and Essington CanalWyrley and Essington Canal
The Wyrley and Essington Canal, known locally as "the Curly Wyrley", is a canal in the English Midlands. As built it ran from Wolverhampton to Huddlesford Junction near Lichfield, with a number of branches: some parts are currently derelict...
running through the town was opened in 1797. It was constructed to allow coal traffic to travel between mines near Great Wyrley
Great Wyrley
Great Wyrley is a parish and town in South Staffordshire, England, with a population of 11,236 at the 2001 census.-Etymology:The word "Wyrley" derives from two Old English words: wir and leah. Wir meant "bog myrtle," and leah meant "woodland clearing," suggesting that Great Wyrley was, at genesis,...
and 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...
, and was constructed following the contours of the land. This meant that the centre of the town was surrounded on three sides by the canal, and that almost all of the pre-existing roads required hump-backed bridges, and despite the improvement in communications and the potential for transporting goods via the canal, it is recorded that some local residents felt that it actually obstructed the development of the town, rather than assisting it. A second canal through the town, the Bentley Canal
Bentley Canal
The Bentley Canal is an abandoned canal that was part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. A very short section still exists where it joins the Wyrley and Essington Canal in Wolverhampton...
, opened in 1843 between Wednesfield Junction, near the modern New Cross Hospital
New Cross Hospital
New Cross Hospital is a hospital in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is located to the east of the city centre in Wednesfield....
, and 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...
. The canal was abandoned in the 1960s, and only a short section at Wednesfield Junction is extant.
Wednesfield railway station
Wednesfield railway station was a station built by the Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway in 1872, and was operated by the Midland Railway from 1876 onwards. It served the Wednesfield area of Wolverhampton, and was located near to Neachells Lane....
on the Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway
Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway
The Wolverhampton and Walsall Railway was incorporated in 1865 in order to connect the city of Wolverhampton, England with nearby towns such as Walsall, Willenhall and Wednesfield.-The route:...
was opened in 1872, connecting the town with Wolverhampton High Level
Wolverhampton railway station
Wolverhampton railway station in Wolverhampton, West Midlands is on the West Coast Main Line. It is served by London Midland, CrossCountry, Virgin Trains and Arriva Trains Wales.-History:...
and Walsall
Walsall railway station
Walsall railway station is the principal railway station of Walsall, West Midlands, England and situated in the heart of the town. It is operated by London Midland, who run all of its train services...
. It was operated by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
, and was located on Neachells Lane to the south of the town centre. It closed to passenger traffic in 1931, although it remained open for goods traffic until the 1980s. Much of the trackbed was reused for the A4124 Wednesfield Way, which bypasses the town centre and opened in 1999.
The first railway within the township was the 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...
, where Wednesfield Heath railway station
Wednesfield Heath railway station
Wednesfield Heath for Wolverhampton railway station was a station built on the Grand Junction Railway and opened on 4 July 1837. It served the city of Wolverhampton, and was located around a mile to the east of the city centre within the suburb of Heath Town, on Station Road...
(opened in 1837) was the primary station for 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...
, and was located on Station Road, Heath Town
Heath Town
Heath Town is a district of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, located ENE of the city centre. It is also a ward of Wolverhampton City Council. The ward forms part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency....
. The station was replaced by Wolverhampton High Level in the city centre, and closed to passengers in 1873 whilst remaining open for goods traffic until 1965. The siting of this station at Heath Town has been cited as a reason for the separation of Wednesfield and Heath Town.
Public transport in Wednesfield is coordinated by Centro
West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive
The West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive , sometimes known as Centro, is a local government organisation responsible for certain transport services in the West Midlands county in England....
, the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive and Authority, which promotes and develops public transport across 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...
. Most bus services within the town are operated by National Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands
National Express West Midlands , formerly known as Travel West Midlands , is the trade name of West Midlands Travel Ltd , a company which operates bus services from depots in the cities of Birmingham, and Wolverhampton, as well as the boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Walsall in the West...
, with services from the town centre to destinations including Wolverhampton city centre, 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...
, Bloxwich
Bloxwich
Bloxwich is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, West Midlands, England, with a population of around 40,000 people.-Early history:Bloxwich has its origins at least as early as the Anglo-Saxon period, when the place name evidence suggests it was a small Mercian settlement named after the...
and Willenhall
Willenhall
Willenhall is a town in the Black Country area of the West Midlands of England, with a population of approximately 40,000. It is situated between Wolverhampton and Walsall, historically in the county of Staffordshire...
. The 59 bus route which runs from Wolverhampton city centre to Ashmore Park via New Cross Hospital and Wednesfield High Street is the most frequent in the city.
An extension of the Midland Metro
Midland Metro
The Midland Metro is a light-rail or tram line in the West Midlands of England between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury. It is owned and promoted by Centro, and operated by West Midlands Travel Limited, a subsidiary of the National Express Group , under...
through Wednesfield is planned, on the "5Ws" route from Wolverhampton to Wednesbury
Wednesbury
Wednesbury is a market town in England's Black Country, part of the Sandwell metropolitan borough in West Midlands, near the source of the River Tame. Similarly to the word Wednesday, it is pronounced .-Pre-Medieval and Medieval times:...
via Willenhall and 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...
.
Famous residents
Famous people from Wednesfield include Olympic Champion Tessa SandersonTessa Sanderson
Theresa Ione Sanderson CBE is a former British javelin thrower and heptathlete who competed in the javelin competition in every one of the six Olympics from 1976–1996 winning the Gold medal in 1984...
, Olympic gymnast Hayley Price
Hayley Price
Hayley Price is a British gymnast. She was born on April 13, 1966 in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Great Britain. She represented the United Kingdom in the 1984 Summer Olympics....
, ex-England rugby union player Martin Cooper
Martin Cooper (Rugby Player)
Martin Cooper was an international rugby union player who won 11 caps between 1973 and 1977. His only try was scored against at Lansdowne Road in a record low scoring game, his being the only score in a 4 -0 victory....
, Apprentice runner-up Ruth Badger
Ruth Badger
Ruth Badger is a British businesswoman, best known as the 2006 runner-up in the second series of the UK version of reality TV show The Apprentice, in which contestants compete for a £100,000-a-year job working for British business magnate Sir Alan Sugar...
, Darts player Wayne Jones
Wayne Jones (darts player)
Wayne Alan Jones is an English darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation tournaments. He uses the nickname The Wanderer for his matches....
and recent X Factor contestants 4Sure.