Gosta Green
Encyclopedia
Gosta Green is an area in the city of Birmingham
, England
. It lies at the edge of the city centre, about three-quarters of a mile (or roughly 10–15 minutes' walk) to the north-east of Birmingham New Street station
via Corporation St or the High St.
's Birmingham Institute of Art and Design
(BIAD), the latter being the largest Art and Design university faculty in the UK
outside London. The two purpose-built and landscaped campuses, of universities otherwise entirely separate from each other, run into one another. The campuses are adjacent to the Aston Science Park
.
and Blur
. It later became a Scream pub; part of the Firkin
chain, known as the "Faculty and Firkin" in the late 1990s.
.
Probably named from its holding by William de Gorsty in the early 14th century. It was known as Gostie Green by the mid 18th century, the name being a corruption of Gorsty to gorse
(i.e. gorse bushes, locally called 'goss', which were common nearby).
The Green was actually two greens by the mid 18th century; Lower Gorsty Green being the larger, encircled by a road.
Methodist preacher John Wesley
was roughly handled while preaching on Gosta Green. In 1849, the Chartists Lovett and Collins, directly on their release from prison, gave speeches to 30,000 people on Gosta Green.
Gosta Green was visited by Queen Victoria
in 1858, when it was described as: "the centre of the locality in which the gun
-trade in carried on", and the local gun-makers guild spent around £6,000 on street decorations.
During the 19th century, until the late 1880s, Gosta Green was the location of a regular market. The surrounding streets were filled with back-to-back houses
, small workshops, and a dozen pubs. Only a few pubs now remain to remind visitors of its Victorian past.
Gosta Green's Birmingham Arts Lab
was an important centre for alternative comic art in the late 1970s. The Lab building later became The Triangle Cinema, then the frontage became a Waterstones bookshop. The building has been empty since early 2003, and remained empty as of October 2010. The building will in 2012 become the new home of the European Bio-Energy Research Institute, part of Aston University.
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...
, 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 lies at the edge of the city centre, about three-quarters of a mile (or roughly 10–15 minutes' walk) to the north-east of Birmingham New Street station
Birmingham New Street Station
Birmingham New Street is the main railway station serving Birmingham, England, located in the city centre. It is an important hub for the British railway system, being served by a number of important long-distance and cross-country lines, including the Birmingham loop of the West Coast Main Line,...
via Corporation St or the High St.
Universities
It is the home of both the University of Aston and Birmingham City UniversityBirmingham City University
Birmingham City University is a British university in the city of Birmingham, England. It is the second largest of three universities in the city, the other two being the Aston University and University of Birmingham...
's Birmingham Institute of Art and Design
Birmingham Institute of Art and Design
The Birmingham Institute of Art and Design is the largest British university art and design teaching and research centre outside London. It is a faculty of Birmingham City University and the largest, most successful department of the university.-History:BIAD dates back, in various incarnations, to...
(BIAD), the latter being the largest Art and Design university faculty in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
outside London. The two purpose-built and landscaped campuses, of universities otherwise entirely separate from each other, run into one another. The campuses are adjacent to the Aston Science Park
Aston Science Park
Aston Science Park is a science park located in Birmingham City Centre, United Kingdom. It is located alongside the A4540 road, on a site adjacent to Aston University and the Eastside area...
.
Pubs
There are two pubs - the "Gosta Green" on Great Lister Street, and "The Sacks of Potatoes" near Aston Street. The "Gosta Green" pub was originally called the "Pot of Beer". During the 1980s and early 1990s, it was a venue for indie music. Bands who performed at the pub include Pop Will Eat ItselfPop Will Eat Itself
Pop Will Eat Itself are an English alternative rock band, originally formed in Stourbridge in 1986, with members from Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country. Initially known as a Grebo act, their style changed to incorporate sample driven indie and industrial rock...
and Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...
. It later became a Scream pub; part of the Firkin
Firkin Brewery
The Firkin Brewery was a chain of pubs in the United Kingdom. The original UK chain is now defunct, but a number of pubs operate under the Firkin name in other countries. The chain took its name from the firkin, an old English unit of volume....
chain, known as the "Faculty and Firkin" in the late 1990s.
History
Historically Gosta Green ('Gosty Green') was part of the parish of AstonAston
Aston is an area of the City of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Lying to the north-east of the Birmingham city centre, Aston constitutes an electoral ward within the council constituency of Ladywood.-History:...
.
Probably named from its holding by William de Gorsty in the early 14th century. It was known as Gostie Green by the mid 18th century, the name being a corruption of Gorsty to gorse
Gorse
Gorse, furze, furse or whin is a genus of about 20 plant species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae, native to western Europe and northwest Africa, with the majority of species in Iberia.Gorse is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green...
(i.e. gorse bushes, locally called 'goss', which were common nearby).
The Green was actually two greens by the mid 18th century; Lower Gorsty Green being the larger, encircled by a road.
Methodist preacher John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
was roughly handled while preaching on Gosta Green. In 1849, the Chartists Lovett and Collins, directly on their release from prison, gave speeches to 30,000 people on Gosta Green.
Gosta Green was visited by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
in 1858, when it was described as: "the centre of the locality in which the gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
-trade in carried on", and the local gun-makers guild spent around £6,000 on street decorations.
During the 19th century, until the late 1880s, Gosta Green was the location of a regular market. The surrounding streets were filled with back-to-back houses
Back-to-back houses
Usually of low quality and high density, they were built for working class people and because three of the four walls of the house were shared with other buildings and therefore contained no doors or windows, back-to-back houses were notoriously ill-lit and poorly ventilated and sanitation was of...
, small workshops, and a dozen pubs. Only a few pubs now remain to remind visitors of its Victorian past.
Gosta Green's Birmingham Arts Lab
Birmingham Arts Lab
The Birmingham Arts Laboratory or Arts Lab was an experimental arts centre and artist collective based in Birmingham, England from 1968 to 1982 – an "arts and performance space dedicated to radical research into art and creativity"...
was an important centre for alternative comic art in the late 1970s. The Lab building later became The Triangle Cinema, then the frontage became a Waterstones bookshop. The building has been empty since early 2003, and remained empty as of October 2010. The building will in 2012 become the new home of the European Bio-Energy Research Institute, part of Aston University.
External links
- A panorama of Gosta Green in 2008
- www.fcgosta.com Local Gosta Green Football Team : F.C Gosta