New Invention, Walsall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
New Invention is a large suburban village three miles north of the town of Willenhall in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, West Midlands, although formerly South Staffordshire, England. It is situated half way between Bloxwich and Wednesfield on the busy A4124 and A462 main roads.
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[edit] History
It has a rich coal mining past with many extensive mines being located in the area including primarily 'The Sneyd Colliery'. One present-day landmark running through the village, having extensive ties with the coal mining history of the area, is the Wyrley and Essington Canal. The 'Curly Wyrley' once used to transport coal via barge to fuel industry in the neighbouring industrial havens of Walsall, Wednesbury and Dudley, seeing that New Invention and Black Country coal was active in the success of the British empire. The coal and industry have now almost entirely disappeared and the canal serves as a scenic walk through woods and green belt land to the factory lined towpaths of Walsall.
The village also has legacies of the areas lock and key making history, with two major producers factories being located there 'Yale' locks and 'Squires' locks, except for the latter which has recently been demolished due to the age of the building and relocated in Essington, the land will now be used for more housing developments.
New Invention was developed mostly during the 1960s following a population increase in Willenhall and a need for new housing. The most recent major housing development to be completed was the Copice Farm housing estate, developed mostly throughout the 1980's and early 1990's.
[edit] Transport
It is served well by transport links, being only 4 miles from the M6 motorway - linking it with the North, South and East of the country and it's close proximity to the M54 motorway - linking it to the West and Wales. The village also has a host of bus stops on the main bus route between both Wolverhampton and Bloxwich and Walsall and Willenhall.
[edit] Facilities
The main shopping area is a small square surrounded by shops on three sides. New Invention Methodist Church serves the area as well as two other churches. Several pubs in the locality include The Broadway and The Milestone. The former old pub 'The Gate' has recently been redeveloped after the building began to fail in its former purpose, and is now a thriving Chinese take-away and Indian restaurant/takeaway.
The area is served by Forest Gate Library[1] which is set to be improved in 2007 by Walsall Council[2].
[edit] Education
The area is also served well by schools, including Beacon Primary School, New Invention Infant School[3] and New Invention Junior school[4].
[edit] Geography
The areas close proximity to surrounding countryside and greenbelt land towards Essington and Shareshill on one side of the area and the urban services of Wolverhampton and Walsall on the other makes it an attractive commuter village.
