Codsall
Encyclopedia
Codsall is a large village
in the South Staffordshire
district of Staffordshire
, England
. It is situated north west of the city of Wolverhampton
.
recorded six people in Codsall. They were probably the heads of households so the population would have been a little larger. Toponymists have the name Codsall coming from the old English 'Cod's Halh' - meaning a nook of land belonging to a man named Cod (Cod being an early English personal name, possibly in shortened form). The Church of St. Nicholas is the oldest building. It has a Norman doorway thought to date from the 11th century. Since medieval times, the area around the church, on the top of the hill, was the hub of the village with a windmill, village pond, forge, bakery and public house. The administration of the village would have been conducted from the church through the decisions of the vestry
. Agriculture was the mainstay of the village and even now the strip-field system of cultivation can be seen to the west and north-east of the church.
Church Street, now called Church Road, lies between the road junction and the church. There was a significant change after Codsall railway station
, on the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
, opened in 1849. The station became the commercial hub of the village with a goods yard, coal yard and cattle pens. Development took place along Station Road and beyond with some substantial properties being built to accommodate wealthy businessmen from Wolverhampton and the Black Country
.
Gradually the focus of activity changed from the area around the church and the station to the crossroads or 'Square'. Emphasis on the Square was increased after 1900 when Baker's Nurseries expanded on the site of Old Hall Farm in Church Street. The growth of public transport, with a terminus for buses to Wolverhampton in the Square, the coming of electricity and the digging of the deep sewer all in the 1920s, helped to change the function of the village from an agricultural centre into a dormitory for Wolverhampton. This has been reflected in the development of several housing estates, new schools and improved roads.
, forming the largest part of three adjoining villages (the others being Bilbrook and Oaken
). It is the site of the headquarters of South Staffordshire District Council
. It is twinned with the French commune of Saint-Pryvé-Saint-Mesmin
. The village also has a cricket club called Codsall Cricket Club (Codsall CC), the club was established in 1897 and plays at the Village Hall. There is also a 3-par, 18 hole golf course (The Ledene). In the village, Codsall Community High School runs a post-16 Football Academy for their students.
The main shopping area around The Square has a variety of shops including a local wine shop. Another shopping area is around Birches Bridge
, where the shops include a branch of The Co-operative Food
.
is the only secondary school in the area and it has three feeder middle schools; Codsall, Bilbrook and Perton
. There are also three first schools; Lane Green, St. Nicholas' C of E and Birches. St Christopher's Primary School is the only primary school in the area.
Codsall Community High School
was judged to be outstanding by Ofsted in May 2011.
pub on the platform.
Codsall also has two social clubs, the Codsall Legionnaires clubhttp://thelegioncodsall.co.uk/ (known locally as 'the Legion'), and The Firshttp://www.firsatcodsall.co.uk/ (formerly Codsall Conservative Club). Codsall Legionnaires club has a modern 'members bar' area, completley refurbished c2006. Its former function room has been acquired by the 'Pet Stop', a local pet shop, as approved by Codsall Parish Council in May 2011, on condition that the car park remains for public use.
, who since the 1990s
has made his name as an author of true crime books, lived in Wilkes Road, Codsall, for some 20 years after moving from Dunstable
, Bedfordshire
, as a child in the 1960s. His mother lived in the village until her death in 2009.
Geoff Palmer
, right-back for Wolverhampton Wanderers
during the 1970s
and 1980s
before serving the police force, lives in Codsall.
Darren Kenneth Matthews, known by his wrestling stage name William Regal, though billed as being from Blackpool, was born and raised in Codsall.
Roger Edwards - Writer/Performer/TV
Pete Cashmore, a notable writer for many national publications, was born and raised in Codsall and frequently visits his family in the village.
on the Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton Line, and has train services to Shrewsbury
, Telford
, Wolverhampton
and Birmingham
.
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...
in the South Staffordshire
South Staffordshire
South Staffordshire is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. The district lies to the north and west of Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, bordering Shropshire to the west and Worcestershire to the south...
district of 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...
, 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 is situated north west of the city of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
.
History
In 1086, the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
recorded six people in Codsall. They were probably the heads of households so the population would have been a little larger. Toponymists have the name Codsall coming from the old English 'Cod's Halh' - meaning a nook of land belonging to a man named Cod (Cod being an early English personal name, possibly in shortened form). The Church of St. Nicholas is the oldest building. It has a Norman doorway thought to date from the 11th century. Since medieval times, the area around the church, on the top of the hill, was the hub of the village with a windmill, village pond, forge, bakery and public house. The administration of the village would have been conducted from the church through the decisions of the vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
. Agriculture was the mainstay of the village and even now the strip-field system of cultivation can be seen to the west and north-east of the church.
Church Street, now called Church Road, lies between the road junction and the church. There was a significant change after Codsall railway station
Codsall railway station
Codsall railway station, situated on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line, serves the village of Codsall in Staffordshire, England. The station has two platforms.-Services:...
, on the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway
The Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway opened on 12 November 1849. It merged with the Great Western Railway on 1 September 1854.The company formed originally as the Shrewsbury & Wolverhampton, Dudley & Birmingham Railway in 1844, it became Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railway in 1847.When the section...
, opened in 1849. The station became the commercial hub of the village with a goods yard, coal yard and cattle pens. Development took place along Station Road and beyond with some substantial properties being built to accommodate wealthy businessmen from Wolverhampton and the Black Country
Black Country
The Black Country is a loosely defined area of the English West Midlands conurbation, to the north and west of Birmingham, and to the south and east of Wolverhampton. During the industrial revolution in the 19th century this area had become one of the most intensely industrialised in the nation...
.
Gradually the focus of activity changed from the area around the church and the station to the crossroads or 'Square'. Emphasis on the Square was increased after 1900 when Baker's Nurseries expanded on the site of Old Hall Farm in Church Street. The growth of public transport, with a terminus for buses to Wolverhampton in the Square, the coming of electricity and the digging of the deep sewer all in the 1920s, helped to change the function of the village from an agricultural centre into a dormitory for Wolverhampton. This has been reflected in the development of several housing estates, new schools and improved roads.
Present day
Codsall has expanded considerably since World War IIWorld 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...
, forming the largest part of three adjoining villages (the others being Bilbrook and Oaken
Oaken
Oaken is a small village in Staffordshire, England. The first mention of the Oaken place-name, was in 1086 when it was listed in the Domesday book as Ache. Its origin appears to be from the Old English, ācum - the oaks....
). It is the site of the headquarters of South Staffordshire District Council
South Staffordshire
South Staffordshire is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. The district lies to the north and west of Wolverhampton and the West Midlands, bordering Shropshire to the west and Worcestershire to the south...
. It is twinned with the French commune of Saint-Pryvé-Saint-Mesmin
Saint-Pryvé-Saint-Mesmin
Saint-Pryvé-Saint-Mesmin is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.-References:* -External links:*...
. The village also has a cricket club called Codsall Cricket Club (Codsall CC), the club was established in 1897 and plays at the Village Hall. There is also a 3-par, 18 hole golf course (The Ledene). In the village, Codsall Community High School runs a post-16 Football Academy for their students.
The main shopping area around The Square has a variety of shops including a local wine shop. Another shopping area is around Birches Bridge
Birches Bridge
Birches Bridge is an area of Codsall, Staffordshire. It is home to Bilbrook railway station and Birches Bridge Shopping Centre, which features a HSBC branch, a the co-operative supermarket and a large Esso petrol station....
, where the shops include a branch of The Co-operative Food
The Co-operative Food
The Co-operative Food, abbreviated sometimes to the Co-op, is a brand devised for the supermarket and convenience store business of the UK's consumers' co-operative movement. It is the name of the largest division of The Co-operative Group, and is used by other independent consumer co-operatives...
.
Education
Codsall Community High SchoolCodsall Community High School
Codsall Community High School is a school in Codsall, Staffordshire, England. In September 2004 it became the first to achieve specialist school status in Maths and Computing and in 2011 was rated to be OUTSTANDING by Ofsted. It is a comprehensive school for pupils aged 13-18 in a large village in...
is the only secondary school in the area and it has three feeder middle schools; Codsall, Bilbrook and Perton
Perton
Perton is a large village and civil parish located in Staffordshire, England. It lies to the south of Codsall, and to the west of the city of Wolverhampton.-Perton:...
. There are also three first schools; Lane Green, St. Nicholas' C of E and Birches. St Christopher's Primary School is the only primary school in the area.
Codsall Community High School
Codsall Community High School
Codsall Community High School is a school in Codsall, Staffordshire, England. In September 2004 it became the first to achieve specialist school status in Maths and Computing and in 2011 was rated to be OUTSTANDING by Ofsted. It is a comprehensive school for pupils aged 13-18 in a large village in...
was judged to be outstanding by Ofsted in May 2011.
Public Houses
Codsall has several pubs, bars and members' clubs. The oldest is The Crownhttp://www.thecrowncodsall.co.uk/ in Codsall Square. The Crown changed names in 2008 to 'Butlers Bar & Bistro', but the name change did not prove popular, and it was renamed back to 'The Crown' in 2009. Over the road also in Codsall Square is The Bullhttp://www.bullhotelpub.co.uk/, another traditional old pub serving ale with an extensive food menu. There is also the award winning Codsall Station on the corner of Chapel Lane & Oaken Lanes - literally a working railway station with a Holdens BreweryHoldens Brewery
Holdens Brewery is a family-run brewery which was founded in 1915 in the Park Inn at Woodsetton, Sedgley, Staffordshire, , England.-Brief Details:...
pub on the platform.
Codsall also has two social clubs, the Codsall Legionnaires clubhttp://thelegioncodsall.co.uk/ (known locally as 'the Legion'), and The Firshttp://www.firsatcodsall.co.uk/ (formerly Codsall Conservative Club). Codsall Legionnaires club has a modern 'members bar' area, completley refurbished c2006. Its former function room has been acquired by the 'Pet Stop', a local pet shop, as approved by Codsall Parish Council in May 2011, on condition that the car park remains for public use.
Notable residents
Bernard O'MahoneyBernard O'Mahoney
Patrick Bernard O'Mahoney is an English-born crime author of Irish descent. Along with his book writing activities he is known for forming relationships with prisioners with a significant media interest and selling information gained in the course of the relationship to the press.-Personal...
, who since the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
has made his name as an author of true crime books, lived in Wilkes Road, Codsall, for some 20 years after moving from Dunstable
Dunstable
Dunstable is a market town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. It lies on the eastward tail spurs of the Chiltern Hills, 30 miles north of London. These geographical features form several steep chalk escarpments most noticeable when approaching Dunstable from the north.-Etymology:In...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, as a child in the 1960s. His mother lived in the village until her death in 2009.
Geoff Palmer
Geoff Palmer
Geoff Palmer is a former professional footballer, who spent almost his entire career with .-Career:...
, right-back for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
during the 1970s
1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
and 1980s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
before serving the police force, lives in Codsall.
Darren Kenneth Matthews, known by his wrestling stage name William Regal, though billed as being from Blackpool, was born and raised in Codsall.
Roger Edwards - Writer/Performer/TV
Pete Cashmore, a notable writer for many national publications, was born and raised in Codsall and frequently visits his family in the village.
Transport
Codsall has a railway stationCodsall railway station
Codsall railway station, situated on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury Line, serves the village of Codsall in Staffordshire, England. The station has two platforms.-Services:...
on the Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton Line, and has train services to Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, Telford
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
, Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
and 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...
.