Brownhills

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Map sources for Brownhills at grid reference SK0405

Brownhills is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall in the West Midlands, the United Kingdom. It lies on the ancient Watling Street, but did not exist until the eighteenth century. It quickly grew around the coal mining industry, and became a centre of the canal and railway networks. The town was home to the first fingerpost in the United Kingdom, which now resides at the Earl Of Lichfield's house at Shugborough House.

Towns nearby include Cannock and Aldridge. Brownhills constituted an urban district in Staffordshire from 1894 to 1966 when it was joined with Aldridge to make Aldridge-Brownhills. Under the Local Government Act 1972 it became part of the Walsall Metropolitan Borough in West Midlands.

Some say the most infamous area of Brownhills is the estate of Brownhills West, known as "Da West" by the youngsters of the area, but other infamous areas include "The Avenues", "The Batters" and "The Green Box" - which is a television service connector on the High Street, which was painted bright pink for a short while to try and deter youngsters from gathering there. However, this was all in vain and the action failed; youngsters still gather there on a regular basis.

In an attempt to revive the area the local council is spending numerous amounts of money in a regeneration programme of the busy high-street. The famous and rather splendid "Iron Man" of Brownhills Island is a success story of this programme.

The feeling of many locals is that Brownhills High Street is dilapidated and is in need of some TLC - Tender Loving Care. Perhaps the regeneration programme will be of some use.