Alvechurch

Alvechurch is a large village and civil parish of Bromsgrove district, in the northeast of the county of Worcestershire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Arrow, the nearest city is Birmingham, 17 km / 11 miles to the north, with the closest towns being Redditch, 8 km / 5 miles to the south and Bromsgrove, 9.5 km / 6 miles to the west. At the time of the last UK Census in 2001 the population was 5,316.^[1]

History

Alvechurch means The church of the Lady Aelfgiva, possibly a relative of King Athelstan. King Offa gave the land forming the parish to the local church in the late 8th century. The parish is mentioned in the Domesday Book. In the 13th Century the Bishop of Worcester built a palace in the village, and a weekly market and an annual fair were established. The Bishop's Palace was pulled down in the 17th century, the only remnants being part of the moat and a yew tree which formerly stood in the palace grounds.

From the 19th century to the mid twentieth century there was a brick factory in the hamlet of Withybed on the edge of the village. Other local industries included nail and needlemaking. Dellow cars were made in Alvechurch between 1949 and 1956.

Architecture

The village has a number of medieval half-timbered buildings, as well as a plethora of Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian buildings.

The church of St Laurence dates back to 1239. ^[2] It is situated on high ground, and was probably the site of an earlier Mercian church, although nothing remains of the earlier wooden building. Much of the church was rebuilt between 1858 and 1861 by William Butterfield. There is a 1,348-pipe organ. The tower has a peal of eight bells, rung regularly by the North Worcestershire and District Change Ringing Association. These bells are in need of repair and, after a five-year fundraising project, work is due to start in January 2012. The Ark, a £1m extension to the church was built in 2005 despite a village referendum in February 2004 voting against the erection of the building.

Alvechurch railway station was built in 1859. There are also many newer residential buildings and a primary and secondary school with library. In 2008 a new primary and secondary school were built north-east of the village, the old school has since been demolished and the new estate has road names commemorating the house names of the old school.

Arts and entertainment

There is an attractive arts and crafts style Baptist church in the centre of the village.

There is also a renowned local amateur dramatic society which produces two plays per year at the village hall. ^[3]

Travel and transport

The M42 motorway runs across the north side the village; the nearest junction is north of the village at Hopwood junction 2.

Alvechurch station is on the Cross-City Line. It serves local trains to Birmingham, Lichfield and Redditch. The station is un-manned.

The village is accessible by narrowboat along a rural canal. Alvechurch Marina is on the Birmingham and Worcester Canal (built 1789) is just across a hedgerow from the station.

The A441 road used to pass through the village, but now a relief road by-passes the village, helping to reduce traffic and pollution. Recently, specific traffic-calming measures have been added to the village's main thoroughfares. These 'pinch-points' reduce the road width to one raised central lane, preventing drivers from speeding and promoting considerate road use.

Alvechurch F.C. play their home games at Lye Meadow on Redditch Road.

Famous people

• Alvechurch was the birthplace of Fay Weldon the novelist and Godfrey Baseley, creator of The Archers.
• Alan Smith who scored the winning goal for Arsenal in the 1994 Cup Winners' Cup final played for Alvechurch F.C.
• Lord Digby Jones lived in Alvechurch; his parents owned a shop in the village.
• Home of Tracie Andrews who murdered Lee Harvey in 1996 in the high profile case which Tracie initially blamed on a 'road scrage' killer.
• Jai Stokes and Mat Russell of brit pop band I am Seven grew up here.

References

External links

• Alvechurch Parish Council.
• Alvechurch Lions Football Club.
• Framed in Alvechurch.
• Alvechurch Baptist Church.
• The Village magazine.
• St. Laurence Church.
• The Ark at St Laurence Church.
• St. Laurence Bell Fund.
• A description of the village.
• Seven fine pen & ink studies of Alvechurch buildings.
• 2001 Census Statistics.
• Alvechurch Village Society.