Kings Heath

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Map sources for Kings Heath at grid reference SP073815

Kings Heath is a suburb of Birmingham, England, three miles south of the city centre. It is the next 'village' south from Moseley on the Alcester Road. The central shopping area runs along the High Street and Alcester Road, and the shops include branches of national chain stores, supermarkets, electrical retailers, and opticians. There are also a number of pubs and churches on and around the High Street.

Kings Heath came into being as a village in the 18th century with the improvements to the Alcester to Birmingham road acting as a catalyst for new houses and farms. Prior to this the area was largely uninhabited wasteland run by the Royal Borough of Kings Norton.

Kings Heath contains two parks: Kings Heath Park and Highbury Park, the former being famous as the setting of popular BBC television programme Gardeners' World. Kings Heath Park also features a Victorian tea rooms.

Kings Heath is also home to several schools including:

Wheelers Lane Technology College (formerly Wheelers Lane Boy's School)
Wheelers Lane Junior & Infant School (on the same site as the senior school)
Bishop Challoner School
St Dunstan's Catholic primary school (grant maintained)
Queensbridge Secondary School
Kings Heath Boy's School
Swanshurst Girl's School and leisure centre
Kings Heath Junior School
King Edward VI Camp Hill schools
Colmore Road Junior & Infant Schools
Woodthorpe Junior and Infant school

On 28 July 2005, Kings Heath was hit by a major (by British standards) tornado which damaged several shops on the High Street and All Saints' church. It then went on to destroy many houses in Balsall Heath. There were no fatalities.

The High Street has also suffered from flash floods on occasions, with up to a foot of water depth.

The streets running off the high street are dominated by pre-1919 terraced, owner occupied housing, typically two or three bedroomed and tending to be of a higher quality than some of the other urban villages (e.g Harborne) in the City. Due to the desireability of the area and the quality of local schools Kings Heath is steadily becoming gentrified, with houses becoming increasingly unaffordable for local people. However, at the same time the high street is going into decline, with major chains being replaced by charity shops and lower quality retailers.