Barnt Green
Encyclopedia
Barnt Green is a village
and civil parish in the Bromsgrove District
of Worcestershire
, England
, located immediately south of Birmingham
, with a population at the 2001 census of 1,733.
was completed in 1840 the only buildings already in existence on an 1880 map were Barnt Green House
, probably the oldest recorded bearer of the name Barnt Green, the buildings which made up the railway station, and Sandhills Farm which dates from the 15th century).
The early establishment of Barnt Green as a village began with the construction of The Victoria a pub that was originally built as a temperance house
at the turn of the century. A later map from 1905 already shows several buildings, including the Victoria and many of the terraced house
s which skirt today's shops.
Despite the proximity of the Birmingham conurbation
, the built up area of the city is concealed by hills to the north and the landscape retains a rural aspect. The area provides an environment for wildlife, including bird
s, fox
es and badgers
.
Immediately above (in height) to the northwest are the Lickey Hills Country Park
and the Victorian
houses of Lickey
. Almost immediately to the north is the site of the former Longbridge car factory
and beyond that Birmingham
.
Northeast are Cofton Hackett
and the Bittell Reservoirs
, with the Birmingham and Worcester Canal running alongside. To the east, farmland stretches from the edge of the factory right across to Hopwood. This large block of rural land forms a part of the green belt which encircles the settlement.
Southeast is the older village of Alvechurch
and beyond that Redditch
. South of the village, across the M42 motorway
, is the large stretch of farmland of Cobley and Tardebigge
which runs to the ancient seat of the Earl of Plymouth, Hewell Grange
(now a prison).
To the southwest, the Lickey Incline
, a famous stretch of railway, runs down the Bunter geological formation to Blackwell
and Bromsgrove
. The M5 motorway
lies to the West.
is on the Cross-City Line (Redditch
to Lichfield
) and the Birmingham to Worcester via Bromsgrove Line
line. The area is close to junctions on the M5
and M42
motorways, as well as the nearby A38
.
In the centre of the village is a linear shopping street and small park
. Other facilities include a sports club, a cricket
club, and separate Quaker, Baptist
and Church of England
churches. St Andrew's Primary School is also based in the village.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish in the Bromsgrove District
Bromsgrove (district)
Bromsgrove is a local government district in Worcestershire, England. Its council is based in the town of Bromsgrove.It borders the built up area of Birmingham to the north...
of 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...
, England
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...
, located immediately south of 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...
, with a population at the 2001 census of 1,733.
Origins
Originating from the development of the railway, Barnt Green has always been a commuter settlement. When the Birmingham and Gloucester RailwayBirmingham and Gloucester Railway
The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway is a railway route linking Birmingham to Gloucester in England.It is one of the world's oldest main line railways and includes the famous Lickey Incline, a dead-straight stretch of track running up the 1-in-37 gradient of the Lickey Ridge...
was completed in 1840 the only buildings already in existence on an 1880 map were Barnt Green House
Barnt Green House
Barnt Green House is a building at Barnt Green, Worcestershire, England. It is a Grade II listed building.It was once a residence of the local nobles, the Earls of Plymouth...
, probably the oldest recorded bearer of the name Barnt Green, the buildings which made up the railway station, and Sandhills Farm which dates from the 15th century).
The early establishment of Barnt Green as a village began with the construction of The Victoria a pub that was originally built as a temperance house
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
at the turn of the century. A later map from 1905 already shows several buildings, including the Victoria and many of the terraced house
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
s which skirt today's shops.
Development
The majority of the village is a product of the 20th century. Much of its development occurred between the wars, with very many houses built between the 1940s and 1970s, and some newer redbrick development.Despite the proximity of the Birmingham conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
, the built up area of the city is concealed by hills to the north and the landscape retains a rural aspect. The area provides an environment for wildlife, including bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, fox
Fox
Fox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
es and badgers
Eurasian Badger
The European Badger is a species of badger of the genus Meles, native to almost all of Europe. It is classed as Least Concern for extinction by the IUCN, due to its wide distribution and large population....
.
Situation
Lickey Hills Country Park
Lickey Hills Country Park is a country park in England. It is 10.3 miles south west of Birmingham and 24 miles north east of Worcester. The 524 acre park is situated just south of Rednal and close to Barnt Green. It is half a mile east of Cofton Hackett...
and the Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
houses of Lickey
Lickey
Lickey is a village in the north of Worcestershire, England approximately south west from the centre of Birmingham. It lies in Bromsgrove District and is situated on the Lickey Ridge, amongst the Lickey Hills, its proximity to countryside and the city makes it a popular commuter area. The civil...
. Almost immediately to the north is the site of the former Longbridge car factory
Longbridge plant
The Longbridge plant is an industrial complex situated in the Longbridge area of Birmingham, United Kingdom. It is currently owned by SAIC Group and is a manufacturing and research and development facility for its MG Motor subsidiary....
and beyond that 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...
.
Northeast are Cofton Hackett
Cofton Hackett
Cofton Hackett is a village and civil parish in the Bromsgrove District of north east Worcestershire, England. It is situated 10.3 miles south west of the city centre of Birmingham and 24 miles north east of Worcester...
and the Bittell Reservoirs
Bittell Reservoirs
The Bittell Reservoirs are located in Worcestershire between Barnt Green to the south and the Birmingham district of Longbridge to the north. They consist of the Upper and Lower reservoir. They were built to feed the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, which was finished in the 1790s, however, the...
, with the Birmingham and Worcester Canal running alongside. To the east, farmland stretches from the edge of the factory right across to Hopwood. This large block of rural land forms a part of the green belt which encircles the settlement.
Southeast is the older village of Alvechurch
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...
and beyond that Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
. South of the village, across the M42 motorway
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
, is the large stretch of farmland of Cobley and Tardebigge
Tardebigge
Tardebigge is a village in Worcestershire, England.The village is most famous for the Tardebigge Locks, a flight of 36 canal locks that raise the Worcester and Birmingham Canal over 220 feet over the Lickey Ridge. It lies in the historic county of Worcestershire.-Toponymy:The etymology of the...
which runs to the ancient seat of the Earl of Plymouth, Hewell Grange
Hewell Grange
This article is about the Hewell Grange country house and estate. For Hewell Prison, see Hewell Hewell Grange is a country house in Tardebigge, Worcestershire, England....
(now a prison).
To the southwest, the Lickey Incline
Lickey Incline
The Lickey Incline is the steepest sustained main-line railway incline in Great Britain and is situated south of Birmingham, in England. The climb is a gradient of 1-in-37.7 for a continuous distance of two miles ....
, a famous stretch of railway, runs down the Bunter geological formation to Blackwell
Blackwell, Worcestershire
Blackwell is a village located in the North-East of Worcestershire and comes under the jurisdiction of Lickey Parish Council.Nearby large towns include Barnt Green and Bromsgrove. Worcester and Birmingham are also influential...
and Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove
Bromsgrove is a town in Worcestershire, England. The town is about north east of Worcester and south west of Birmingham city centre. It had a population of 29,237 in 2001 with a small ethnic minority and is in Bromsgrove District.- History :Bromsgrove is first documented in the early 9th century...
. The 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...
lies to the West.
Services
Barnt Green railway stationBarnt Green railway station
Barnt Green railway station serves the village of Barnt Green, Worcestershire, England. It is situated at the junction of the Cross-City Line and the Cross Country Route 9½ miles south west of Birmingham New Street...
is on the Cross-City Line (Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
to Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
) and the Birmingham to Worcester via Bromsgrove Line
Birmingham to Worcester via Bromsgrove Line
The Birmingham-Worcester via Bromsgrove Line is a railway route in the West Midlands of Great Britain. It connects Birmingham to Worcester. The most notable feature on the line is the Lickey Incline, between and .The line serves the following places:...
line. The area is close to junctions on 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...
and M42
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
motorways, as well as the nearby A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
.
In the centre of the village is a linear shopping street and small park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
. Other facilities include a sports club, a cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
club, and separate Quaker, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
churches. St Andrew's Primary School is also based in the village.