Lickey

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Lickey is a village in the north of Worcestershire, England. It lies in the district of Bromsgrove, close to Birmingham. Situated on the Lickey Ridge, amongst the Lickey Hills, its proximity to countryside and the city makes it a popular commuter area.

The name is thought to have derived from 'leac' (a clearing) and 'hey' (an enclosed space). Perhaps referring to a clearing in the forest. The Lickey Hills consist of two parallel ranges with a valley between. The higher range consists of Rose Hill,Beacon Hill and Stock Hill whilst the lower hills are Rednal Hill Bilberry Hill and Cofton Hill.

1 Beacon Hill
2 People
3 Landmarks
4 Houses
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Beacon Hill

On Beacon Hill stood one of the country-wide network of beacons which, before the days of modern communication were used to alert the country to an imminent invasion. A tapestry map woven about the time of the Spanish Armada shows the huge iron basket on top of Beacon Hill where two men kept watch night and day. It is reasonable to assume that a signal fire was lit on the Lickeys in 1588 when the Spanish Armada was sighted in the channel.

[edit] People

Lickey was populated rapidly from the 1870s onwards by professionals and industrialists such as Herbert Austin, who moved to Lickey Grange in 1910 and resided there until his death in 1941. He is buried in the graveyard of the local church of Holy Trinity .

[edit] Landmarks

Opposite the Church is a reminder that once we relied on horses for our transport as there is a Drinking Trough and Fountain for weary travellers whether two or four legged to refresh themselves after the long climb up.

Another landmark is The Monument, a huge obelisk 60-80ft high, situated behind the trees bordering the old Birmingham road directly opposite the petrol station in Lickey. The inscription reads "To commend to imitation the exemplary private virtues of Other Archer 6th Earl of Plymouth". The 6th Earl of Plymouth had land at Tardebigge, near Lickey.

[edit] Houses

Lickey has very many late Victorian houses, but today it is difficult to gain a sense of the well spaced layout and wide boulevards of Victorian Lickey. Newer developments lack the distinctive style of the older buildings and crowd the Victorian buildings.

There was a steady development of housing in Lickey in the 20th century; however, the area has maintained its mainly professional and entrepreneurial population. Since the 1990s, there have been huge amounts of 'infill' housing, not just in Lickey, but also in nearby Barnt Green. The best impression of Victorian Lickey can be felt nowadays in the nearby tiny hamlet of Shepley.