A456 road
Encyclopedia
The A456 is a main road in England
running between Birmingham
and Woofferton
, Shropshire
, south of Ludlow
.
From Birmingham to Blakedown
section was the responsibility of one trust established in 1753 to improve roads from the market house in Stourbridge
. Blakedown was then part of Hagley
, giving rise to the name for it of 'Hagley Road'.
The section from Blakedown to Bewdley Bridge
represents two of the eight roads from the market house in Kidderminster
that were maintained by a trust established in 1759. The turnpike road passed through Halesowen
, following what is now A458 road
and B4183 to Hayley Green
. Halesowen was bypassed around the south of the town in the 1950s due to rising traffic levels and the growth of the town, and Manor Lane became part of A456. Then in the 1970s the Quinton Expressway was opened to connect with M5 motorway
junction 3, when the northern section of M5 was opened in the 1970s.
From the Welsh Gate of Bewdley
to Newnham Bridge
, it was managed by the Bewdley Trust established in 1753. From Monksbridge (the Shropshire
boundary, to Woofferton
and so to Ludlow, the road was repaired by the Ludlow
First Turnpike Trust
of about 1751. The intervening section was handled by the Hundred House Turnpike Trust of 1753. The Hundred House at Great Witley
was probably the meeting place for Doddingtree Hundred. This trust was unusual in being responsible for several roads radiating from a place that was not a town.
) in Birmingham, heading West through the Birmingham suburbs of Edgbaston
and Quinton
using a mixture of dual carriageway and single carriageway roads, though maintaining at least 2 lanes in each direction. Just beyond Quinton, the A458 exits towards Halesowen
, while the A456 bypasses the town to the South, meeting the M5
at Junction 3. This route was completed in the 1960s
, beginning with Quinton Expressway and resuming beyond the motorway junction as Manor Way (the Halesowen By-Pass).
The road resumes its original route on the West side of Halesowen, entering Worcestershire
and passing over the Clent Hills
. The A491
is crossed in the village of Hagley
, where the road becomes single carriageway once more, passing through the village, closely followed by the village of Blakedown
. Beyond there a dual carriageway section takes the road to Kidderminster
, crossing the A449
, before following the town's Ring Road to the North side.
is now bypassed by a single carriageway road to the South and West, this road being completed in 1987. Continuing West, the road is entirely rural in nature, passing the Wyre Forest
eventually meeting the A443 at a "T" junction. The road passes just to the North of Tenbury Wells
, the A4112 providing access to the Town. The A456 terminates shortly after on the A49
in Woofferton.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
running between Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and Woofferton
Woofferton
Woofferton is a village to the south of Ludlow, Shropshire, England. It is one of Shropshire's most southerly villages and lies on the border with Herefordshire. The public house there - the "Salwey Arms" - is the most southerly in the county...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, south of Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
.
History
Much of the road is almost certainly medieval in origin. However, the road was laid out, essentially in its present form (except where there are modern bypasses) by a series of 18th century turnpike trusts.From Birmingham to Blakedown
Blakedown
Blakedown is a village in the Wyre Forest District in the north of the county of Worcestershire, England. Due to its road and rail links it serves mainly as a dormitory village for Kidderminster, and the cities of Birmingham and Worcester...
section was the responsibility of one trust established in 1753 to improve roads from the market house in Stourbridge
Stourbridge
Stourbridge is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Historically part of Worcestershire, Stourbridge was a centre of glass making, and today includes the suburbs of Amblecote, Lye, Norton, Oldswinford, Pedmore, Wollaston, Wollescote and Wordsley The...
. Blakedown was then part of Hagley
Hagley
Hagley is a village and civil parish on the northern boundary of Worcestershire, England, near to the towns of Kidderminster and Stourbridge. The parish had a population of 4,283 in 2001, but the whole village had a population of perhaps 5,600, including the part in Clent parish...
, giving rise to the name for it of 'Hagley Road'.
The section from Blakedown to Bewdley Bridge
Bewdley Bridge
Bewdley Bridge is a three-span masonry arch bridge over the River Severn at Bewdley, Worcestershire. The two side spans are each , with the central span . The central arch rises . Smaller flood arches on the bank bridge the towpath. The bridge is wide....
represents two of the eight roads from the market house in Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
that were maintained by a trust established in 1759. The turnpike road passed through Halesowen
Halesowen
Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
, following what is now A458 road
A458 road
The A458 is a route on the UK highway network that runs from Mallwyd, near Machynlleth, in Wales, to Halesowen, near Stourbridge, in England. On the way it passes through Welshpool, Shrewsbury, Much Wenlock, Bridgnorth and Stourbridge.-Welshpool to Shrewsbury:...
and B4183 to Hayley Green
Hayley Green, West Midlands
Hayley Green is a suburb of Halesowen in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, West Midlands, England, located to the south-west of Halesowen town centre. Its focal point is the 'Harvester' public house and restaurant and a row of small shops on the A456/B4183 roundabout...
. Halesowen was bypassed around the south of the town in the 1950s due to rising traffic levels and the growth of the town, and Manor Lane became part of A456. Then in the 1970s the Quinton Expressway was opened to connect with M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
junction 3, when the northern section of M5 was opened in the 1970s.
From the Welsh Gate of Bewdley
Bewdley
Bewdley is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire, England, along the Severn Valley a few miles to the west of Kidderminster...
to Newnham Bridge
Newnham Bridge
Newnham Bridge is a village in the parish of Knighton on Teme, near Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom.The village derives part of its name from the bridge over the River Rea.-Location:...
, it was managed by the Bewdley Trust established in 1753. From Monksbridge (the Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
boundary, to Woofferton
Woofferton
Woofferton is a village to the south of Ludlow, Shropshire, England. It is one of Shropshire's most southerly villages and lies on the border with Herefordshire. The public house there - the "Salwey Arms" - is the most southerly in the county...
and so to Ludlow, the road was repaired by the Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
First Turnpike Trust
Turnpike trust
Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom were bodies set up by individual Acts of Parliament, with powers to collect road tolls for maintaining the principal highways in Britain from the 17th but especially during the 18th and 19th centuries...
of about 1751. The intervening section was handled by the Hundred House Turnpike Trust of 1753. The Hundred House at Great Witley
Great Witley
Great Witley is a village and civil parish in the Malvern Hills District in the northwest of the county of Worcestershire, England...
was probably the meeting place for Doddingtree Hundred. This trust was unusual in being responsible for several roads radiating from a place that was not a town.
Birmingham - Kidderminster
The A456 starts on the Middleway (A4540A4540 road
The A4540 is a Ring Road in Birmingham, England, also known as the Middle Ring Road, or the Middleway. There are proposals to make it a red route. It runs around the centre of the city at a distance of approximately . Birmingham City Centre is the area within this ring road. The ring road was...
) in Birmingham, heading West through the Birmingham suburbs of Edgbaston
Edgbaston
Edgbaston is an area in the city of Birmingham in England. It is also a formal district, managed by its own district committee. The constituency includes the smaller Edgbaston ward and the wards of Bartley Green, Harborne and Quinton....
and Quinton
Quinton, Birmingham
Quinton is a suburb on the western edge of Birmingham, England. It is a Birmingham City Council ward within the Edgbaston formal district, and forms a part of the Birmingham Edgbaston parliamentary constituency.The area is served by .-Geography:...
using a mixture of dual carriageway and single carriageway roads, though maintaining at least 2 lanes in each direction. Just beyond Quinton, the A458 exits towards Halesowen
Halesowen
Halesowen is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands, England.The population, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2001, was 55,273...
, while the A456 bypasses the town to the South, meeting the M5
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
at Junction 3. This route was completed in the 1960s
1960s
The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...
, beginning with Quinton Expressway and resuming beyond the motorway junction as Manor Way (the Halesowen By-Pass).
The road resumes its original route on the West side of Halesowen, entering Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
and passing over the Clent Hills
Clent Hills
The Clent Hills lie 9⅓ miles southwest of Birmingham city centre in Clent, Worcestershire, England. The closest towns are Stourbridge and Halesowen, both in the West Midlands conurbation. The Clent Hills range consists of, in order from north-west to south-east: Wychbury Hill, Clent Hill , and...
. The A491
A491 road
The A491 is an A road in Zone 4 of the Great Britain numbering scheme.-History:The road north of Oldswinford forms part of an ancient road, probably of Anglo-Saxon origin, joining the burhs of Worcester and Stafford...
is crossed in the village of Hagley
Hagley
Hagley is a village and civil parish on the northern boundary of Worcestershire, England, near to the towns of Kidderminster and Stourbridge. The parish had a population of 4,283 in 2001, but the whole village had a population of perhaps 5,600, including the part in Clent parish...
, where the road becomes single carriageway once more, passing through the village, closely followed by the village of Blakedown
Blakedown
Blakedown is a village in the Wyre Forest District in the north of the county of Worcestershire, England. Due to its road and rail links it serves mainly as a dormitory village for Kidderminster, and the cities of Birmingham and Worcester...
. Beyond there a dual carriageway section takes the road to Kidderminster
Kidderminster
Kidderminster is a town, in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. It is located approximately seventeen miles south-west of Birmingham city centre and approximately fifteen miles north of Worcester city centre. The 2001 census recorded a population of 55,182 in the town...
, crossing the A449
A449 road
The A449 is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from junction 24 of the M4 motorway at Newport in South Wales to Stafford in Staffordshire....
, before following the town's Ring Road to the North side.
Kidderminster - Woofferton
Now on the West side of Kidderminster, the road passes the General Hospital before leaving the town and passing the West Midlands Safari Park. The next town of BewdleyBewdley
Bewdley is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District of Worcestershire, England, along the Severn Valley a few miles to the west of Kidderminster...
is now bypassed by a single carriageway road to the South and West, this road being completed in 1987. Continuing West, the road is entirely rural in nature, passing the Wyre Forest
Wyre Forest
Wyre Forest is a large, semi-natural woodland and forest which straddles the borders of Worcestershire and Shropshire, England.The Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire takes its name from the forest, despite the fact that much of the woodland does not lie within the district's boundaries, but...
eventually meeting the A443 at a "T" junction. The road passes just to the North of Tenbury Wells
Tenbury Wells
Tenbury Wells is a market town and civil parish in the north-western extremity of the Malvern Hills District administrative area of Worcestershire, England. The 2001 census reported a population of 3,316.-Geography:...
, the A4112 providing access to the Town. The A456 terminates shortly after on the A49
A49 road
The A49 is a major road in western England, which traverses the Welsh Marches region. It runs north from Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire via Hereford, Leominster, Ludlow, Shrewsbury and Whitchurch, then continues through central Cheshire to Warrington and Wigan before terminating at its junction with...
in Woofferton.
Bypasses and Realignments
- Bewdley (Bypassed in the late 1980s, now B4190)
- Halesowen (Former route now A458 and B4183)
- Kidderminster (Now follows the route of the Ring Road rather than through the town centre)
Notable places
- Birmingham OratoryBirmingham OratoryThe Birmingham Oratory is a Catholic oratory and church, on the Hagley Road, in the Birmingham suburb of Edgbaston in England.-History:The church was constructed between 1907 and 1910 in the Baroque style as a memorial to Cardinal Newman, founder of the English Oratory...
, Edgbaston - West Midlands Safari Park
- Severn Valley RailwaySevern Valley RailwayThe Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...
- Wyre ForestWyre ForestWyre Forest is a large, semi-natural woodland and forest which straddles the borders of Worcestershire and Shropshire, England.The Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire takes its name from the forest, despite the fact that much of the woodland does not lie within the district's boundaries, but...
- River TemeRiver TemeThe River Teme rises in Mid Wales, south of Newtown in Powys, and flows through Knighton where it crosses the border into England down to Ludlow in Shropshire, then to the north of Tenbury Wells on the Shropshire/Worcestershire border there, on its way to join the River Severn south of Worcester...