Castle Bromwich
Encyclopedia
Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
in the English
county of West Midlands
. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire
to the east and north east; also Shard End
to the south west, Castle Vale
, Erdington
and Minworth
to the north and Hodge Hill
to the west - all areas of the City of Birmingham. It constitutes a civil parish which had a population of 11,857 according to the 2001 census.
It was a civil parish within the Meriden Rural District
of Warwickshire
until the Local Government Act 1972
came into force in 1974, when it became part of Solihull.
In 1861, the population was 613. This rose to just over 1,000 in the 1920s, when half of the original parish was ceded to the City of Birmingham for the construction of overspill estate
s. This caused a drop to 678 (almost the 1861 level). Post Second World War
estate building in Castle Bromwich increased the population to 4,356 in 1951, 9,205 in 1961 and 15,941 in 1971. The parish was then split into two, resulting in the lower 2001 figures.
village. There has been a settlement here since before Stone Age
times. There is evidence that the area was first settled some 5,000 years ago. Romans
, Saxons
and Normans
have also settled on this raised piece of land close to a natural ford across the river Tame. The Chester Road which runs through the village follows the line of a drovers' road called the Welsh Road
, whose origins probably lie as an ancient trackway
from the pre-Roman era. Bromwich comes from the old words 'brom' for the yellow flowering broom
which grows here and 'wich' an ancient name for a dwelling or settlement. The motte (called the Pimple Hill locally) is some 40 metres in diameter and appears to be a natural feature that was probably heightened by Iron Age settlers, then by the later Normans and once again during the developed of the 1970s to make way for the A452 "Collector Road", which by-passed Castle Bromwich to the north.
The "Pimple" commanded the important crossing place of the River Tame. It still remains today, somewhat reduced, sandwiched between the M6 and the Collector Road (Castle Bromwich & Chelmsley Wood bypass). There was an extensive archaeological dig of the area prior to the development of the Pimple site, and discoveries were made that confirmed folk tales of the area. The Pimple was the highest point of an iron-age fortification that encompassed most of Castle Bromwich. The land between the Pimple and Kyters Lane was particularly well defended by several ridge and furrow workings; indeed, Kyters Lane and Rectory Lane were built within ditches. Other ditches were excavated between Kyters Lane and the Pimple but nothing of consequence was found. The name "Pimple" was commonly used from about the year 1915 onwards, and the story that the hill was a Saxon burial ground appeared around 1935, when the spread of dwellings from Washwood Heath
began to appear over Hodge Hill
. Modern houses now occupy the site and overlook the graveyard. The ridge and furrow
s have been completely obliterated.
There is a good view over Castle Vale (formerly Castle Bromwich Aerodrome) and the Tame valley from the top of the hill.
During the 18th century Castle Bromwich was an important place at the junction of two turnpike roads. Chester Road, an old Roman
way which ran from London
to Chester
, joined the Birmingham
to Coleshill
road near Castle Bromwich Hall. There was a toll gate at the junction of Chester Road, School Lane and Old Croft Lane, near the village green. The toll house still exists, although the massive 14 feet (4.3 m) wide toll gate has been lost. In the 1780s stagecoaches travelling from Holyhead
to London
stopped in the village, as did a horse drawn bus from Birmingham
to Coleshill
. There were several coaching inns and two survive today. The Midland Railway
arrived in 1842 and Castle Bromwich Station
was rebuilt in 1901. Boy Scouts
used to arrive here and trek the four miles (6 km) to their major camp at Yorkswood in Kingshurst
. The station closed in 1965 and was part-demolished in 1975.
Until 1894, the village was a hamlet
in the large parish of Aston. The Local Government Act 1894
created a parish of Castle Bromwich from part of the Aston parish not in either Birmingham or Aston Manor
urban district. It was part of the Castle Bromwich Rural District
from 1894 until 1912, when it became part of the Meriden Rural District
.
During the 18th, and especially during the 19th centuries wealthy Birmingham businessmen built large houses in Castle Bromwich.
Castle Bromwich has a village green. The land for this, called Seven Acre Green, was given to the village by Viscount Newport in 1895. The War Memorial was erected in 1920 on a small island nearby. There is also another green called Whateley Green. Whateley is derived from the Anglo-Saxon for wheatfield clearing. This was the site of the village's stray animal pounds and a smithy. It had two pounds, stocks and a whipping post. Whateley Hall was nearby. The ancient duck pond was filled in during the late 1950s.
In 1931, a portion of Castle Bromwich land was sold and ceded to the City of Birmingham
who built the overspill Chipperfield Road development during 1937-8. This halved the area of the parish of Castle Bromwich, from 2742 acres (11.1 km²) to 1239 acres (5 km²).
During World War II
, the occupants of Chipperfield Road pulled down an ancient white-washed farm house thinking it would deny German bomber crews a marker to the aerodrome and the adjoining factories. The Firs Estate (as it was then known, and including Chipperfield Road, Oakdale Road, Millington Road and Ermington Crescent) were private semi-detached houses that briefly enjoyed the benefit of the farmland and golf links. In the late 1950s further development took place. The new council housing was built adjacent to Chipperfield Road and as far as the Newport Road. The name "Firs Estate" now points to the council estate and the name originated from the fir trees that stood near a large house between Chipperfield Road and Hodge Hill Common.
The council housing was also extended up what was known locally as "The Golf Links" to meet the Stables, now known as the Comet.
, and a Methodist and a Baptist
nearby. St Mary and St Margaret's Parish Church
is the original church and is in the west of the village. It is unusual as it is a "church within a church". A small wooden chapel was known on the site before 1175, but it is believed that a house of worship has existed here for more than 2000 years. It was replaced in the 15th century by a large half-timbered structure. The church was extensively altered between 1726 and 1731 by Sir John Bridgeman and the old timber one was encased in brick and plaster. The massive oak timbers can only be seen now in the roof. It is considered to have outstanding architectural and historic merit.
St Clement's Church is in the east and was built in 1967, when the original parish was split into two.
in Staffordshire
. It was single storey with a plain entrance. It was bought by Orlando Bridgeman (keeper of The Great Seal
) in 1657, for his son Sir John Bridgeman I. Sir John extended and improved the property in 1672, adding the second floor and a large front porch. His son, Sir John Bridgeman II, inherited in 1710. He extended the Hall and rebuilt it in local hand made bricks of clay. The Bridgmans were created Barons of Bradford in 1792 and (Earls
) in 1851. A marriage also brought Weston Park
into their possession, where they now still reside. The Hall was then rented out or used for other family members to live in. It is famous for having twelve windows (one for each Disciple) and four dormers above (one for each Apostle).
The garden door passed through a grapevine which was always trimmed into the form of a cross. The last family member (Lady Ida Bradford) left the Hall in 1936. It then was used for storage during World War II
. Post war it was leased out as an apprentice training centre for the GEC, and then used as offices while the outbuildings are used by other small companies. The conservation area is centred on the Hall. The Hall is reported as having tunnels linking to the ex-vicarage and ex-public house nearby. These tunnels are not in use anymore.
which surround the Hall is the only surviving example of an 18th century English formal garden, having escaped the attentions of Capability Brown. Sir John Bridgeman II originally laid out the Hall's gardens in the style to which they have now been restored by the Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Trust. They commenced the restoration of the 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) to their former glory in 1985. The Gardens are open to the public and are a tourist attraction.
The 17th century 'Park Hall Manor House' was owned by the Arden family, ancestors of William Shakespeare
. The mansion was supposedly haunted and was demolished in the early 1970s during construction of the M6 motorway. The hall was first mentioned in 1265, but this could have been a nearby moat
ed timbered dwelling. A large housing estate now covers the site. The name lives on in 'Park Hall School', which is on the other side of the road, and is the largest secondary school in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
.
'Castle Bromwich Post Office' was the first to have a telephone outside London
so that Benjamin Disraeli could keep in touch with the government. He frequently visited Castle Bromwich Hall
in the 1870s, possibly to court Lady Chesterfield and Lady Bradford. Later, Queen Mary
made use of the telephone when visiting Lady Ida (Lady of the Queen’s Bed Chamber) at the Hall. The Post Office closed in 2004 and is now a hairdressing salon.
A drawing of 1726 shows a large structure called the 'Old Castle Hall' next to the old castle earthworks.
Chester Road used to climb up a steep hill from the river to the church, called 'Mill Hill'. Towards the bottom of the hill was a brick structure surrounding the 'Holy Well of St Lawrence'. This has now been covered by the roundabout for junction 5 of the M6
.
'Castle Bromwich Mill' stood on the southern bank of the River Tame
, close to the bottom of 'Mill Hill'. It was still grinding corn in 1895 and possibly later. It then became an artist’s studio until it was demolished in 1956. The M6
now covers the site, which is near to ‘The Firs’ estate. There were several other mills in the area, some also drawing water from the Tame.
Two of the old coaching inns still exist. 'The Bradford Arms' was built in 1723 on the site of an earlier pub called ‘The White Lion’. The high doors to the coach houses can still be seen. Law courts and Catholic services have been held here. It is the oldest pub in the village. 'The Coach and Horses' dated from the 18th century and stood in the front drive of the present public house. This was built in the 1920s and re-roofed in 1938 when the thatched roof caught fire. Additionally, 'The Castle' dates to the early 18th century and was the village alehouse. Later it became a general stores and then a private residence. The 17th century Georgian style 'The Bridgeman Arms Inn' is now also a private residence.
Adjacent to 'The Bridgeman Arms Inn' were several cottages, used for servants, and an estate office for the Earl of Bradford
who then owned much of the land in Castle Bromwich. The first Police Station was also established here under Pc Charlie Whale, before moving to a specialist house and lock up near to the Coach and Horses. When the Kingshurst
estate was built policing was from a two man unit there, this closed down when the new Chelmsley Wood
station opened. Part of the Inn was destroyed by a bomb in World War II
, when two platoons of the Home Guard were based there. A 17th century well was found in the courtyard of the cottages. The cottages and office have now been replaced by a service road and new houses.
St Mary and St Margaret’s Church of England Primary School - was built in the 19th century and demolished in 1968 when the move was complete to larger premises with playing fields. Private housing now covers the site.
Harvey’s Drapery Shop - was a single storey extension to the main house. Originally it was a druggist’s (the only one between Birmingham
and Coleshill
). The visiting doctor from Coleshill arrived on horseback to take his surgery in a room in the house. Later it became a two storey extension to the house and the extended house was the home of the village electrician. It is now a private residence.
The village smithy was amongst the old cottages on the southern edge of the village green. A disused car sales site which is on the southern edge of The Green, that was being used as a drive through car wash, will shortly(Sept 2011) be demolished and 12 homes are to be built on the site.
Green Lane was the oldest trackway through the village. One of the ancient Ridgeways of England
, it ran from the castle to Grimstock Hill Romano-British settlement
at Coleshill. It is now mostly underneath Chelmsley Wood
and the M6
.
The following houses have all disappeared; some are remembered on road signs:
and farms such as:
, when Alfred P. Maxwell flew the first aeroplane in the Birmingham area in September 1909. It became a stopping place during early air races. The War Office requisitioned it for use by the Royal Flying Corps
and flying schools in 1914, when proper roads and buildings were established. The British Industries Fair
(the pre runner to the National Exhibition Centre
) was a large complex of buildings built on land adjacent to the aerodrome and Castle Bromwich railway station
in 1920. In the inter war years the aerodrome had a military and civilian function. In these early days it was the busiest airport in the area due to its combined passenger, post and railway air business. During the late 1920s and early 1930s the aerodrome was also a checking-in point for the infamous 'Contact Races' held in the Midlands, which were organised by and between various civil flying clubs in the area.
In 1934, the Air Ministry stated that Castle Bromwich could not be used for civil purposes indefinitely, so a new airport was constructed at Elmdon
(some five miles (8 km) away), just outside the Birmingham City boundary. It opened in 1939 and is now Birmingham International Airport. In 1937, more hangars and a Squadron Headquarters were built for the Royal Air Force
. In 1939, it was extended further to become a fighter station and a base for other units. It was visited by Winston Churchill
during World War II
.
In 1936, the Air Ministry
had purchased a parcel of land opposite the Castle Bromwich Aerodrome. On this site they built the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory (CBAF). This huge 'shadow factory' was part of a larger plan to disperse production and move vital resources that lay within easy range of German bombers (Vickers
Supermarine
's original factory at Southampton was devastated by enemy bombers just as Castle Bromwich came into production in 1940.). The CBAF factory was first managed by the Nuffield Organisation
to manufacture Spitfire
s and (later) Lancaster bomber
aircraft. The theory was that the local skills and production techniques used in the manufacture of motor vehicles could be transferred to aircraft production. However production proved impossible without help from the professionals from Vickers-Supermarine. The CBAF went on to become the largest and most successful plant of its type during the 1939-45 conflict.
Aircraft and sub-assemblies were taken across the Chester Road to the airfield, Castle Bromwich Aerodrome
though early plans included an aerial bridge from E block to the airfield. Very large hangar-like buildings were erected on the east side of the airfield which were referred to as 'Erecting Sheds', where aircraft were prepared for flight testing. This was the largest Spitfire
factory in the UK, building over half of the approximately 20,000 built. After failing to get initial production under way, the mercurial Air Minister, Lord Beaverbrook, ordered the Nuffield Organisation to relinquish control of the CBAF to Vickers. From May 1940, the CBAF's most productive years were overseen by Vickers Armstrong
(Vickers having purchased Supermarine in 1936).
The CBAF's chief test pilot
was Alex Henshaw
MBE, who managed a team of pilots who had the job of testing the aircraft. The ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary
) were responsible for dispersing tested machines to the M.U.'s (Maintenance Units) around the country. As any build-up of machines on the airfield would be vulnerable to aerial attack, testing was carried out in any weather.
After the war, the CBAF became a car body factory
. It is now the Castle Bromwich Assembly
plant of Jaguar Cars. Its first post war owners were Fisher and Ludlow (themselves having been bombed out of their inner city factory). This company was the sub-contractor for most of the now defunct BMC
and British Leyland marques, the last being Jaguar, who took over outright control of the factory in 1977. Various units used the airfield post war and there was an annual display to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Britain
. Civilian flights returned, including the first scheduled helicopter service from London
. Such activities were to prove short-lived.
The airfield closed in 1958 and in 1960 the site and that of the British Industries Fair
, and nearby farmland was sold for housing. The runway was broken up, many of the buildings were demolished and a Birmingham overspill estate (Castle Vale) was constructed. The erecting sheds survived as storage units until 2004. All that remains now is a memorial, a stained glass window in the estate's church, streets and housing blocks with aviation names, a row of ex-RAF houses along the Chester Road, and a new Spitfire Memorial. This is a large steel sculpture called Sentinel
designed by Tim Tolkien
which was erected on the roundabout
where the road to the estate joins the Chester Road in 2000. This was inaugurated by the CBAF's wartime Chief Test Pilot, Alex Henshaw.
The roundabout was subsequently renamed "Spitfire Island". Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the CBAF were held on the July 15, 1998, which included a fly-by flown by Ray Hannah in his ex-CBAF Spitfire MkIX, MH434. Amongst the dignitaries attending was Dr. Gordon Mitchell, son of the Spitfire's designer, R.J. Mitchell. Alex' Henshaw also unveiled a memorial plaque just inside the old factory's main gate onto the Kingsbury Road. Its principal inscription reads; 'Here, swords of freedom were forged'.
The playing fields, adjacent to Arden Hall, have a sports centre which supports cricket, football, golf and tennis clubs and is now home to Bromford Lions Football Club. There are three primary, one specialist and one secondary school(s). There are two main shopping areas, several smaller ones and numerous small businesses.
, lead singer of UK indie band The Enemy
used to live on Wasperton Close in the village.
Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, in west-central England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull, from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary...
in the English
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...
county of West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire
North Warwickshire is a local government district and borough in Warwickshire, England. The main town in the district is Atherstone where the council is based...
to the east and north east; also Shard End
Shard End
Shard End is an area of Birmingham, England. It is also a ward within the formal district of Hodge Hill. Shard End borders Castle Bromwich to the north and Kingshurst to the east which are situated in the northern part of the neighbouring Metropolitan Borough of Solihull.-Pre-War:Before the end of...
to the south west, Castle Vale
Castle Vale
Castle Vale is a housing estate located near Erdington currently Castle Vale votes with Tyburn Ward which is part of Erdington constituency, northeast of Birmingham city centre in England...
, Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
and Minworth
Minworth
Minworth is a village on the outskirts of Birmingham in the West Midlands area of England. It is located near Walmley, Wishaw, Warwickshire, Curdworth, Thimble End and Castle Vale....
to the north and Hodge Hill
Hodge Hill
Hodge Hill is an area seven km east of Birmingham city centre, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee....
to the west - all areas of the City of Birmingham. It constitutes a civil parish which had a population of 11,857 according to the 2001 census.
It was a civil parish within the Meriden Rural District
Meriden Rural District
The Meriden Rural District was a rural district of Warwickshire, England, which existed between 1894 and 1974. Its headquarters were based in the small town of Coleshill....
of Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
until the Local Government Act 1972
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
came into force in 1974, when it became part of Solihull.
In 1861, the population was 613. This rose to just over 1,000 in the 1920s, when half of the original parish was ceded to the City of Birmingham for the construction of overspill estate
Overspill estate
An overspill estate is a housing estate planned and built for the rehousing of people from decaying inner city areas usually as part of the process of slum clearance....
s. This caused a drop to 678 (almost the 1861 level). Post Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
estate building in Castle Bromwich increased the population to 4,356 in 1951, 9,205 in 1961 and 15,941 in 1971. The parish was then split into two, resulting in the lower 2001 figures.
History
Castle Bromwich was originally a WarwickshireWarwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
village. There has been a settlement here since before Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
times. There is evidence that the area was first settled some 5,000 years ago. Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
and Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
have also settled on this raised piece of land close to a natural ford across the river Tame. The Chester Road which runs through the village follows the line of a drovers' road called the Welsh Road
Welsh Road
The Welsh Road, also known as the Welshman's Road or the Bullock Road, was a drover's road running through the English Midlands, used for transporting cattle from North Wales to the markets of South East England....
, whose origins probably lie as an ancient trackway
Ancient trackway
Ancient trackway can refer to any track or trail whose origin is lost in antiquity. Such paths existed from the earliest prehistoric times and in every inhabited part of the globe...
from the pre-Roman era. Bromwich comes from the old words 'brom' for the yellow flowering broom
Broom (shrub)
Brooms are a group of evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the legume family Fabaceae, mainly in the three genera Chamaecytisus, Cytisus and Genista, but also in many other small genera . All genera in this group are from the tribe Genisteae...
which grows here and 'wich' an ancient name for a dwelling or settlement. The motte (called the Pimple Hill locally) is some 40 metres in diameter and appears to be a natural feature that was probably heightened by Iron Age settlers, then by the later Normans and once again during the developed of the 1970s to make way for the A452 "Collector Road", which by-passed Castle Bromwich to the north.
The "Pimple" commanded the important crossing place of the River Tame. It still remains today, somewhat reduced, sandwiched between the M6 and the Collector Road (Castle Bromwich & Chelmsley Wood bypass). There was an extensive archaeological dig of the area prior to the development of the Pimple site, and discoveries were made that confirmed folk tales of the area. The Pimple was the highest point of an iron-age fortification that encompassed most of Castle Bromwich. The land between the Pimple and Kyters Lane was particularly well defended by several ridge and furrow workings; indeed, Kyters Lane and Rectory Lane were built within ditches. Other ditches were excavated between Kyters Lane and the Pimple but nothing of consequence was found. The name "Pimple" was commonly used from about the year 1915 onwards, and the story that the hill was a Saxon burial ground appeared around 1935, when the spread of dwellings from Washwood Heath
Washwood Heath
Washwood Heath is a ward in Birmingham, within the formal district of Hodge Hill, roughly two miles north-east of Birmingham city centre, England...
began to appear over Hodge Hill
Hodge Hill
Hodge Hill is an area seven km east of Birmingham city centre, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee....
. Modern houses now occupy the site and overlook the graveyard. The ridge and furrow
Ridge and furrow
Ridge and furrow is an archaeological pattern of ridges and troughs created by a system of ploughing used in Europe during the Middle Ages. The earliest examples date to the immediate post-Roman period and the system was used until the 17th century in some areas. Ridge and furrow topography is...
s have been completely obliterated.
There is a good view over Castle Vale (formerly Castle Bromwich Aerodrome) and the Tame valley from the top of the hill.
During the 18th century Castle Bromwich was an important place at the junction of two turnpike roads. Chester Road, an old Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
way which ran from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, joined the 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...
to Coleshill
Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England, taking its name from the River Cole. It has a population of 6,343 and is situated east of Birmingham.-Location:...
road near Castle Bromwich Hall. There was a toll gate at the junction of Chester Road, School Lane and Old Croft Lane, near the village green. The toll house still exists, although the massive 14 feet (4.3 m) wide toll gate has been lost. In the 1780s stagecoaches travelling from Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
stopped in the village, as did a horse drawn bus from 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...
to Coleshill
Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England, taking its name from the River Cole. It has a population of 6,343 and is situated east of Birmingham.-Location:...
. There were several coaching inns and two survive today. The Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
arrived in 1842 and Castle Bromwich Station
Castle Bromwich railway station
Castle Bromwich railway station was a railway station in Birmingham opened by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway in 1842.It was on the line into Birmingham Lawley Street from Water Orton....
was rebuilt in 1901. Boy Scouts
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
used to arrive here and trek the four miles (6 km) to their major camp at Yorkswood in Kingshurst
Kingshurst
Kingshurst is a post war housing estate and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands. It lies about east of Birmingham city centre...
. The station closed in 1965 and was part-demolished in 1975.
Until 1894, the village was a hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
in the large parish of Aston. The Local Government Act 1894
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
created a parish of Castle Bromwich from part of the Aston parish not in either Birmingham or Aston Manor
Aston Manor
Aston Manor was a local government district in what is now northern Birmingham, from the 19th century to 1911, when it was added to Birmingham.The Aston Manor Local Board of Health was formed in 1869, from part of the ancient parish of Aston...
urban district. It was part of the Castle Bromwich Rural District
Castle Bromwich Rural District
Castle Bromwich was a rural district in Warwickshire, England from 1894 to 1912.It was created by the Local Government Act 1894 based on the Aston rural sanitary district. It consisted of the parishes of Castle Bromwich, Curdworth, Minworth, Water Orton and Wishaw...
from 1894 until 1912, when it became part of the Meriden Rural District
Meriden Rural District
The Meriden Rural District was a rural district of Warwickshire, England, which existed between 1894 and 1974. Its headquarters were based in the small town of Coleshill....
.
During the 18th, and especially during the 19th centuries wealthy Birmingham businessmen built large houses in Castle Bromwich.
Castle Bromwich has a village green. The land for this, called Seven Acre Green, was given to the village by Viscount Newport in 1895. The War Memorial was erected in 1920 on a small island nearby. There is also another green called Whateley Green. Whateley is derived from the Anglo-Saxon for wheatfield clearing. This was the site of the village's stray animal pounds and a smithy. It had two pounds, stocks and a whipping post. Whateley Hall was nearby. The ancient duck pond was filled in during the late 1950s.
In 1931, a portion of Castle Bromwich land was sold and ceded to the City 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...
who built the overspill Chipperfield Road development during 1937-8. This halved the area of the parish of Castle Bromwich, from 2742 acres (11.1 km²) to 1239 acres (5 km²).
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the occupants of Chipperfield Road pulled down an ancient white-washed farm house thinking it would deny German bomber crews a marker to the aerodrome and the adjoining factories. The Firs Estate (as it was then known, and including Chipperfield Road, Oakdale Road, Millington Road and Ermington Crescent) were private semi-detached houses that briefly enjoyed the benefit of the farmland and golf links. In the late 1950s further development took place. The new council housing was built adjacent to Chipperfield Road and as far as the Newport Road. The name "Firs Estate" now points to the council estate and the name originated from the fir trees that stood near a large house between Chipperfield Road and Hodge Hill Common.
The council housing was also extended up what was known locally as "The Golf Links" to meet the Stables, now known as the Comet.
Churches
There are two from the Church of EnglandChurch 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...
, and a Methodist and a 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...
nearby. St Mary and St Margaret's Parish Church
St Mary and St Margaret's Parish Church
-History:A small wooden Norman chapel was known on the site before 1175, probably built for one of the de Bromwich family. However, it is believed that a house of worship has existed here for more than 2000 years. The chapel was remade of stone in the 12th century, possibly earlier...
is the original church and is in the west of the village. It is unusual as it is a "church within a church". A small wooden chapel was known on the site before 1175, but it is believed that a house of worship has existed here for more than 2000 years. It was replaced in the 15th century by a large half-timbered structure. The church was extensively altered between 1726 and 1731 by Sir John Bridgeman and the old timber one was encased in brick and plaster. The massive oak timbers can only be seen now in the roof. It is considered to have outstanding architectural and historic merit.
St Clement's Church is in the east and was built in 1967, when the original parish was split into two.
Castle Bromwich Hall
Castle Bromwich Hall is a Jacobean mansion that was built between 1557 and 1585 by Sir Edward Devereaux, the first MP for TamworthTamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked 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. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. It was single storey with a plain entrance. It was bought by Orlando Bridgeman (keeper of The Great Seal
Great Seal of the Realm
The Great Seal of the Realm or Great Seal of the United Kingdom is a seal that is used to symbolise the Sovereign's approval of important state documents...
) in 1657, for his son Sir John Bridgeman I. Sir John extended and improved the property in 1672, adding the second floor and a large front porch. His son, Sir John Bridgeman II, inherited in 1710. He extended the Hall and rebuilt it in local hand made bricks of clay. The Bridgmans were created Barons of Bradford in 1792 and (Earls
Earl of Bradford
Earl of Bradford is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was first created in 1694 for Francis Newport, 2nd Baron Newport. However, all the Newport titles became extinct on the death of the fourth Earl in 1762. The...
) in 1851. A marriage also brought Weston Park
Weston Park
Weston Park is a country house in Weston-under-Lizard, Staffordshire, England, set in more than of park landscaped by Capability Brown. The park is located north-west of Wolverhampton, and north-east of Telford, close to the border with Shropshire...
into their possession, where they now still reside. The Hall was then rented out or used for other family members to live in. It is famous for having twelve windows (one for each Disciple) and four dormers above (one for each Apostle).
The garden door passed through a grapevine which was always trimmed into the form of a cross. The last family member (Lady Ida Bradford) left the Hall in 1936. It then was used for storage during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Post war it was leased out as an apprentice training centre for the GEC, and then used as offices while the outbuildings are used by other small companies. The conservation area is centred on the Hall. The Hall is reported as having tunnels linking to the ex-vicarage and ex-public house nearby. These tunnels are not in use anymore.
Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens
Castle Bromwich Hall GardensCastle Bromwich Hall Gardens
Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens are situated to the west of Castle Bromwich Hall, a Jacobean Mansion. They are in the old centre of Castle Bromwich, a large village in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull of the English West Midlands area.-History:...
which surround the Hall is the only surviving example of an 18th century English formal garden, having escaped the attentions of Capability Brown. Sir John Bridgeman II originally laid out the Hall's gardens in the style to which they have now been restored by the Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Trust. They commenced the restoration of the 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) to their former glory in 1985. The Gardens are open to the public and are a tourist attraction.
Other places of interest
Many of the old buildings have now been demolished and farms have disappeared to make way for new housing and roads.The 17th century 'Park Hall Manor House' was owned by the Arden family, ancestors of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
. The mansion was supposedly haunted and was demolished in the early 1970s during construction of the M6 motorway. The hall was first mentioned in 1265, but this could have been a nearby moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed timbered dwelling. A large housing estate now covers the site. The name lives on in 'Park Hall School', which is on the other side of the road, and is the largest secondary school in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, in west-central England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull, from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary...
.
'Castle Bromwich Post Office' was the first to have a telephone outside London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
so that Benjamin Disraeli could keep in touch with the government. He frequently visited Castle Bromwich Hall
Castle Bromwich Hall
Castle Bromwich Hall is a Jacobean Mansion in the village of Castle Bromwich, which is situated in the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands, England. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
in the 1870s, possibly to court Lady Chesterfield and Lady Bradford. Later, Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
made use of the telephone when visiting Lady Ida (Lady of the Queen’s Bed Chamber) at the Hall. The Post Office closed in 2004 and is now a hairdressing salon.
A drawing of 1726 shows a large structure called the 'Old Castle Hall' next to the old castle earthworks.
Chester Road used to climb up a steep hill from the river to the church, called 'Mill Hill'. Towards the bottom of the hill was a brick structure surrounding the 'Holy Well of St Lawrence'. This has now been covered by the roundabout for junction 5 of the M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
.
'Castle Bromwich Mill' stood on the southern bank of the River Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
, close to the bottom of 'Mill Hill'. It was still grinding corn in 1895 and possibly later. It then became an artist’s studio until it was demolished in 1956. The M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
now covers the site, which is near to ‘The Firs’ estate. There were several other mills in the area, some also drawing water from the Tame.
Two of the old coaching inns still exist. 'The Bradford Arms' was built in 1723 on the site of an earlier pub called ‘The White Lion’. The high doors to the coach houses can still be seen. Law courts and Catholic services have been held here. It is the oldest pub in the village. 'The Coach and Horses' dated from the 18th century and stood in the front drive of the present public house. This was built in the 1920s and re-roofed in 1938 when the thatched roof caught fire. Additionally, 'The Castle' dates to the early 18th century and was the village alehouse. Later it became a general stores and then a private residence. The 17th century Georgian style 'The Bridgeman Arms Inn' is now also a private residence.
Adjacent to 'The Bridgeman Arms Inn' were several cottages, used for servants, and an estate office for the Earl of Bradford
Earl of Bradford
Earl of Bradford is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was first created in 1694 for Francis Newport, 2nd Baron Newport. However, all the Newport titles became extinct on the death of the fourth Earl in 1762. The...
who then owned much of the land in Castle Bromwich. The first Police Station was also established here under Pc Charlie Whale, before moving to a specialist house and lock up near to the Coach and Horses. When the Kingshurst
Kingshurst
Kingshurst is a post war housing estate and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands. It lies about east of Birmingham city centre...
estate was built policing was from a two man unit there, this closed down when the new Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood, civil parish and large housing estate in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 13,010. It is located near Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. It lies adjacent to Birmingham...
station opened. Part of the Inn was destroyed by a bomb in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when two platoons of the Home Guard were based there. A 17th century well was found in the courtyard of the cottages. The cottages and office have now been replaced by a service road and new houses.
St Mary and St Margaret’s Church of England Primary School - was built in the 19th century and demolished in 1968 when the move was complete to larger premises with playing fields. Private housing now covers the site.
Harvey’s Drapery Shop - was a single storey extension to the main house. Originally it was a druggist’s (the only one 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 Coleshill
Coleshill, Warwickshire
Coleshill is a market town in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England, taking its name from the River Cole. It has a population of 6,343 and is situated east of Birmingham.-Location:...
). The visiting doctor from Coleshill arrived on horseback to take his surgery in a room in the house. Later it became a two storey extension to the house and the extended house was the home of the village electrician. It is now a private residence.
The village smithy was amongst the old cottages on the southern edge of the village green. A disused car sales site which is on the southern edge of The Green, that was being used as a drive through car wash, will shortly(Sept 2011) be demolished and 12 homes are to be built on the site.
Green Lane was the oldest trackway through the village. One of the ancient Ridgeways of 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...
, it ran from the castle to Grimstock Hill Romano-British settlement
Grimstock Hill Romano-British settlement
Grimstock Hill, located north of the River Cole in Coleshill, Warwickshire, was the site of a Romano-British settlement discovered in 1978. The site included a temple complex with evidence of a circular wooden iron age temple, later replaced by stone-built temples from the Roman period developed in...
at Coleshill. It is now mostly underneath Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood, civil parish and large housing estate in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 13,010. It is located near Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. It lies adjacent to Birmingham...
and the M6
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
.
The following houses have all disappeared; some are remembered on road signs:
- ‘Camden House' - dated to the 17th century and was a gardeners’ cottage for the Hall.
- ‘The Cedars' - was built in 1897 by Alderman Thomas Clayton JP. It was a large country residence with its own generating plant.
- ‘Eldon House' - dated from the middle of the 18th century and used as a farm and the rectory.
- ‘The Elms'
- ‘The Firs' - was a large house near Castle Bromwich HallCastle Bromwich HallCastle Bromwich Hall is a Jacobean Mansion in the village of Castle Bromwich, which is situated in the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands, England. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
. It was usually occupied by the estate bailiff to the Hall. The site is now a post World War II housing estate of the same name. - ‘The Gables' - dating from 1800, but it was a mock half timbered 16th century manor house.
- 'The Granary' - dated to the early 18th century was the village malt house. It is now a private residence. The upstairs room was once used for Church meetings and the adjoining building was an early bowling alley. This adjoining building has been demolished and a private house erected upon the site.
- ‘Hawkesford'
- ‘The Hawthorns'
- ‘The Hollies'
- 'Rainbow Cottages' - a group of cottages opposite the Post Office.
- ‘The Southfields' - dated to the middle of the 19th century. In 1908, it was occupied by Edward Randall who owned the first motor car in the village. During the Second World War, it became a secret plastics factory. The house is now part of the Remembrance Club.
- ‘The Sycamores' - later known as Poplar Farm
- ‘Timberley House' - was built in the late 18th century as a farmhouse. It was demolished in the 1930s and a cinema was built on the site. Before fitting out it was used a store in the Second World War. This was demolished in 1962 and a small supermarket now exists there.
- ‘Westeria'
- ‘Whateley Hall' - probably built in the 18th century in classical style, but there is evidence of a moated structure from the 14th century. The Hall was surrounded by considerable wooded grounds and was the second largest house in the village, after Castle Bromwich HallCastle Bromwich HallCastle Bromwich Hall is a Jacobean Mansion in the village of Castle Bromwich, which is situated in the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands, England. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
. The Knight family was in residence from the 1860s until 1935 when it was sold and demolished. The Hall was owned by the William Newton II before this, and his sons Canon Horace NewtonCanon Horace NewtonCanon Horace Newton was a well-respected priest within the Church of England, philanthropist, and country landowner.-His life:...
and Goodwin NewtonGoodwin NewtonThomas Henry Goodwin Newton was the Chairman of Imperial Continental Gas Association , one of the United Kingdom's largest energy businesses...
, before they moved to Barrells HallBarrells HallBarrells Hall is a small stately home in the Warwickshire countyside near Henley-in-Arden. The nearest village is Ullenhall, which for many years was the estate village, large parts of it having been built by the owners of Barrells Hall, the Newtons of Glencripesdale Estate...
.
and farms such as:
- 'Beechcroft' - now a housing estate.
- 'The Firs' - now a housing estate within the City of BirminghamBirminghamBirmingham 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...
. - 'Green Lanes' - now part of a Chelmsley WoodChelmsley WoodChelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood, civil parish and large housing estate in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 13,010. It is located near Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. It lies adjacent to Birmingham...
housing area. - 'Hob'
- 'Park Hall' - now a housing estate/Academy (School)
- 'Poplar' - now a small housing estate.
- 'Rawlins' – only the farm house remains as a modernised “half timbered” private residence, the rest is a housing estate.
Castle Bromwich Aerodrome
A large piece of Warwickshire grassland (Castle Bromwich Playing Fields) became the Castle Bromwich private aerodromeCastle Bromwich Aerodrome
Castle Bromwich Aerodrome was an early airfield, situated to the north of Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands of England. The site now falls within the City of Birmingham.-History:...
, when Alfred P. Maxwell flew the first aeroplane in the Birmingham area in September 1909. It became a stopping place during early air races. The War Office requisitioned it for use by the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
and flying schools in 1914, when proper roads and buildings were established. The British Industries Fair
British Industries Fair
The British Industries Fair was an important exhibition centre in Birmingham, England.The large complex of buildings were built in 1920 and were situated between Castle Bromwich Aerodrome and the railway line. For two weeks every year it was the most visited attraction in the country...
(the pre runner to the National Exhibition Centre
National Exhibition Centre
The National Exhibition Centre is an exhibition centre in Birmingham, England. It is near junction 6 of the M42 motorway, and is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport and Birmingham International railway station. It has 20 interconnected halls, set in grounds of 628 acres making it the...
) was a large complex of buildings built on land adjacent to the aerodrome and Castle Bromwich railway station
Castle Bromwich railway station
Castle Bromwich railway station was a railway station in Birmingham opened by the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway in 1842.It was on the line into Birmingham Lawley Street from Water Orton....
in 1920. In the inter war years the aerodrome had a military and civilian function. In these early days it was the busiest airport in the area due to its combined passenger, post and railway air business. During the late 1920s and early 1930s the aerodrome was also a checking-in point for the infamous 'Contact Races' held in the Midlands, which were organised by and between various civil flying clubs in the area.
In 1934, the Air Ministry stated that Castle Bromwich could not be used for civil purposes indefinitely, so a new airport was constructed at Elmdon
Elmdon, West Midlands
Elmdon is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the county of West Midlands, England.The name Elmdon means hill of the elms. It is primarily a residential area. It was formerly home to Elmdon Aerodrome, which is now Birmingham Airport...
(some five miles (8 km) away), just outside the Birmingham City boundary. It opened in 1939 and is now Birmingham International Airport. In 1937, more hangars and a Squadron Headquarters were built for the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. In 1939, it was extended further to become a fighter station and a base for other units. It was visited by Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1936, the Air Ministry
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
had purchased a parcel of land opposite the Castle Bromwich Aerodrome. On this site they built the Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory (CBAF). This huge 'shadow factory' was part of a larger plan to disperse production and move vital resources that lay within easy range of German bombers (Vickers
Vickers
Vickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
Supermarine
Supermarine
Supermarine was a British aircraft manufacturer that became famous for producing a range of sea planes and the Supermarine Spitfire fighter. The name now belongs to an English motorboat manufacturer.-History:...
's original factory at Southampton was devastated by enemy bombers just as Castle Bromwich came into production in 1940.). The CBAF factory was first managed by the Nuffield Organisation
Nuffield Organisation
The Nuffield Organisation was a vehicle manufacturing company in the United Kingdom. Named after its founder, William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield, it was formed in 1938 as the merger of Nuffield's Morris Motor Company , another of Nuffield's companies the MG Car Company and Riley.Morris Motors...
to manufacture Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s and (later) Lancaster bomber
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
aircraft. The theory was that the local skills and production techniques used in the manufacture of motor vehicles could be transferred to aircraft production. However production proved impossible without help from the professionals from Vickers-Supermarine. The CBAF went on to become the largest and most successful plant of its type during the 1939-45 conflict.
Castle Bromwich Aerodrome
Castle Bromwich Aerodrome was an early airfield, situated to the north of Castle Bromwich in the West Midlands of England. The site now falls within the City of Birmingham.-History:...
though early plans included an aerial bridge from E block to the airfield. Very large hangar-like buildings were erected on the east side of the airfield which were referred to as 'Erecting Sheds', where aircraft were prepared for flight testing. This was the largest Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
factory in the UK, building over half of the approximately 20,000 built. After failing to get initial production under way, the mercurial Air Minister, Lord Beaverbrook, ordered the Nuffield Organisation to relinquish control of the CBAF to Vickers. From May 1940, the CBAF's most productive years were overseen by Vickers Armstrong
Vickers Armstrong
Vickers-Armstrongs Limited was a British engineering conglomerate formed by the merger of the assets of Vickers Limited and Sir W G Armstrong Whitworth & Company in 1927...
(Vickers having purchased Supermarine in 1936).
The CBAF's chief test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
was Alex Henshaw
Alex Henshaw
Alexander Adolphus Dumfries Henshaw MBE was a British air racer in the 1930s and a test pilot for Vickers Armstrong in the Second World War.-Early life:...
MBE, who managed a team of pilots who had the job of testing the aircraft. The ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary
Air Transport Auxiliary
The Air Transport Auxiliary was a British World War II civilian organisation that ferried new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between UK factories, assembly plants, transatlantic delivery points, Maintenance Units , scrap yards, and active service squadrons and airfields—but not to...
) were responsible for dispersing tested machines to the M.U.'s (Maintenance Units) around the country. As any build-up of machines on the airfield would be vulnerable to aerial attack, testing was carried out in any weather.
After the war, the CBAF became a car body factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
. It is now the Castle Bromwich Assembly
Castle Bromwich Assembly
Castle Bromwich Assembly is a factory owned by Jaguar Cars. It is located on the Chester Road in Castle Vale, Birmingham, England.The facility currently handles body stamping operations, body assembly, paint and trim, and final assembly for the Jaguar XF, Jaguar XJ and Jaguar XK...
plant of Jaguar Cars. Its first post war owners were Fisher and Ludlow (themselves having been bombed out of their inner city factory). This company was the sub-contractor for most of the now defunct BMC
British Motor Corporation
The British Motor Corporation, or commonly known as BMC was a vehicle manufacturer from United Kingdom, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation in 1952...
and British Leyland marques, the last being Jaguar, who took over outright control of the factory in 1977. Various units used the airfield post war and there was an annual display to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. Civilian flights returned, including the first scheduled helicopter service from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Such activities were to prove short-lived.
The airfield closed in 1958 and in 1960 the site and that of the British Industries Fair
British Industries Fair
The British Industries Fair was an important exhibition centre in Birmingham, England.The large complex of buildings were built in 1920 and were situated between Castle Bromwich Aerodrome and the railway line. For two weeks every year it was the most visited attraction in the country...
, and nearby farmland was sold for housing. The runway was broken up, many of the buildings were demolished and a Birmingham overspill estate (Castle Vale) was constructed. The erecting sheds survived as storage units until 2004. All that remains now is a memorial, a stained glass window in the estate's church, streets and housing blocks with aviation names, a row of ex-RAF houses along the Chester Road, and a new Spitfire Memorial. This is a large steel sculpture called Sentinel
Sentinel (sculpture)
Sentinel is a 16m high sculpture by Tim Tolkien, installed upon a traffic island at the intersection of the Chester Road and the A47 Fort Parkway at the entrance to the Castle Vale estate in Birmingham, England....
designed by Tim Tolkien
Tim Tolkien
Tim Tolkien is an English sculptor who has designed several monumental sculptures, including the award-winning Sentinel.His other claim to fame is as the great-nephew of J. R. R. Tolkien, the famous author of the fantasy book The Lord of the Rings...
which was erected on the roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
where the road to the estate joins the Chester Road in 2000. This was inaugurated by the CBAF's wartime Chief Test Pilot, Alex Henshaw.
The roundabout was subsequently renamed "Spitfire Island". Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the CBAF were held on the July 15, 1998, which included a fly-by flown by Ray Hannah in his ex-CBAF Spitfire MkIX, MH434. Amongst the dignitaries attending was Dr. Gordon Mitchell, son of the Spitfire's designer, R.J. Mitchell. Alex' Henshaw also unveiled a memorial plaque just inside the old factory's main gate onto the Kingsbury Road. Its principal inscription reads; 'Here, swords of freedom were forged'.
Modern Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich retains some of its village character and it is very active. There is a well used multi-function village hall called Arden Hall. The office of Castle Bromwich Parish Council is situated there, as is the local police office of the West Midlands Police. Castle Bromwich has its own dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team consisting of a sergeant, four police constables and a community support officer.The playing fields, adjacent to Arden Hall, have a sports centre which supports cricket, football, golf and tennis clubs and is now home to Bromford Lions Football Club. There are three primary, one specialist and one secondary school(s). There are two main shopping areas, several smaller ones and numerous small businesses.
Notable people
Tom ClarkeTom Clarke (musician)
Tom Clarke is the principal songwriter, lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of the Coventry indie rock group The Enemy. The main reason for the band's formation was boredom. According to them Coventry is a boring place. Although Clarke was born in Birmingham, he has placed the "boredom level"...
, lead singer of UK indie band The Enemy
Tom Clarke (musician)
Tom Clarke is the principal songwriter, lead singer and multi-instrumentalist of the Coventry indie rock group The Enemy. The main reason for the band's formation was boredom. According to them Coventry is a boring place. Although Clarke was born in Birmingham, he has placed the "boredom level"...
used to live on Wasperton Close in the village.
- Roger Taylor drummer of Duran Duran, used to live in Hawthorne Road where he taught himself to play drums Trevor Francis used to live a few doors away when Roger was a child. Roger formed his first band with school mates whilst at Park Hall.
- Ted Richards OBE Solihull MBC Councillor and former leader of the Council, lives in Castle Bromwich. Conservative.
- Tushar MakwanaTushar MakwanaTushar Makwana was an award winning British radio personality, killed in a hit-and-run incident during a botched robbery attempt at his home in Birmingham, England.-Early life:...
radio DJ, lived, and died, in Castle Bromwich.
Gallery
External links
- Castle Bromwich Parish Council
- Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens website
- Bromford Lions FC website
- Castle Bromwich united website
- Castle Bromwich Cricket and Sports Club
- Castle Bromwich Neighbourhood Watch
- The Parish Church of St Mary & St Margaret, Castle Bromwich
- St Mary & St Margaret's School
- Castle Bromwich Junior School
- Park Hall Secondary School
- Castle Bromwich News and local information
- WMP Neighbourhood Policing Team
- Castle Bromwich Rambling Club
- Birmingham's Industrial History Website