Walsall Wood

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Walsall Wood is a settlement located in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, West Midlands, UK, between Aldridge and Brownhills.

Walsall Wood is part of the Aldridge North and Walsall Wood ward, in the Aldridge-Brownhills constituency, the MP of which is presently Richard Shepherd (Conservative). The area is represented by three Conservative councillors, Keith Sears, Anthony Harris and Mike Flower.

Contents

[edit] History

In the late-18th century and early-19th century, the workers of Walsall Wood were primarily involved in the mining of limestone. In 1864, the population of the settlement expanded as Walsall Wood Colliery was opened,[1] as well as another colliery in near-by Shelfield. The Walsall Wood Colliery purchased the Pelsall Colliery from Pelsall Coal & Iron Co. in 1894.[2] The opening of the Walsall Wood Colliery saw the establishment of the first public services, including a police station and a post office. The mine was closed in 1964 when the supply of accessible coal had been exhausted.

St John's Church in Walsall Wood was constructed in 1837 at a cost of £1,200. The church, with its quadrangular tower, is in the Gothic style, whilst the parsonage house is in the Elizabethan style. The church is constructed out of blue brick with stone dressings and has a capacity of 400.[3]

[edit] Education

Shire Oak School is located in Walsall Wood and had the seventh best GCSE results in the borough for 2006.[4]

[edit] Sports, recreation and entertainment

Oak Park is a recreation centre in Walsall Wood consisting of two swimming pools, an astro-turf football pitch, and other sporting facilities. Walsall Wood F.C. is a football club competing in the Midland Combination Premier Division. They play their home games at their ground located at Oak Park.

Over the road from Oak Park is a Fitness First gym, and several shops including a fish and chip shop.

Walsall Wood library is located in the former Neighbourhood Office building at the junction of Coppice Road and Lichfield Road. This replaces the former library building on Lichfield Road.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Association of Consulting Engineers (1987). The Consulting Engineers Who's who & Year Book. Princes Press, 206. 
  2. ^ Newcomen Society (1922). Transactions - Newcomen Society for the Study of the History of Engineering. Newcomen Society, 166. 
  3. ^ Edward Lees Glew (1856). History of the Borough and Foreign of Walsall. J.R. Robinson, 77-78. 
  4. ^ Schools in Walsall. BBC (2007-01-11). Retrieved on 2007-04-24.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 52°37′N 1°55′W / 52.617, -1.917

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