Kates Hill
Encyclopedia
Kates Hill is a residential area in Dudley
, West Midlands
, England
.
against King Charles I
. As a result, many roads in the area are named in honour of parliamentary figures from that era and afterwards; these include Oliver Cromwell
(Oliver Close and Cromwell Street) and Robert Peel
(Peel Street).
It is alleged that from Cromwell Street, Cromwell fired his canons at Dudley's Norman Castle
.
Kates Hill was not developed as a residential area until the 1830s, when houses were built to accommodate people moving to the Black Country
in hope of landing jobs in the ever-growing number of factories and coalpits that were being created in the region at this time. In 1840, St John's Parish Church was laid out and an adjoining church school was built soon afterwards.
As recently as World War II
, Kates Hill was surrounded by a substantial amount of farmland. There is still standing a historic grade II listed farm house, dating from the 17th century, at the top of Watsons Green Road; it is now solely a residential property as its farmland has long since been built on.
This rural scene was quickly swept away during the interwar years, as hundreds of council houses were built in the Watson's Green Road, Highfield Road, Corporation Road and Bunns Lane areas during the early to mid 1920s to accommodate families who were being rehoused. These included the very first council houses to be built in Dudley, which were situated on Bunns Lane and occupied in about 1920. Most of the roads on this development were named after British heroes of the recently ended Great War
; these include Kitchener Road (Herbert Kitchener), Cavell Road (Edith Cavell
) and Haig Road (Douglas Haig
).
The Green Park Road area was developed around 1930, along with Wolverton Road and the western section of Corporation Road, and the Rosland estate was added during the second half of the 1930s between Green Park Road and Bunns Lane.
The late interwar and early postwar years also saw most of Kates Hill's 19th century housing stock - and its numerous pubs - demolished, and much of the land was left undeveloped until the 1970s, when most of the remaining older houses were demolished to make way for new council housing.
Many of the newer properties on Kates Hill - notably blocks of four flats with two houses adjoining, with garages underneath the flats - are unique to the area, having been designed by an architect who received an award for designing the area's new homes which were built in the mid to late 1970s. They are built around the Peel Street area of Kates Hill, and a network of alleyways runs among the flats. This was initially a popular idea, as planners hoped to re-create the old-fashioned sense of community that had existed on Kates Hill up to the 1930s. But this proved to be unsuccessful as initially the alleyways were popular for drug addicts, vandals and muggers. Fortunately the problem has been reduced in more recent years.
Council bungalows and three bedroom houses were also built around this time on land between Peel Street, St John's Road and Cromwell Street.
Kates Hill Primary School on Peel Street was built in the mid 19th century when the residential area was first being developed. Part of the school was damaged by fire on 24 June 1969; shortly afterwards plans for a new school nearby were unveiled, and it was completed during 1972, being officially opened on 2 May 1973 by Alderman Morris, Mayor of Dudley. The new school incorporated a nursery unit for 4 years olds (and from the mid 1980s also 3 year olds), meaning that it served the 3-12 age range until July 1990, after which it was redesignated as a 3-11 school.
St John's Primary School moved to new buildings in Hillcrest Road on its merger with St Edmund's Primary School at around the same time. But the old St John's school buildings are still standing and have since been used by several different businesses, the current occupants being a recruitment agency.
Rosland Secondary School was opened on Beechwood Road in 1932, and it merged with the Blue Coat School on Bean Road in 1970; with the Blue Coat School existing entirely within the Rosland buildings after 1981. It closed in 1989 on a merger with The Dudley School, which saw the formation of Castle High School
in the town centre. It remained open for a year as an annexe to Castle High, as there was inadequate space for pupils at the Dudley School site. In 1991, the Blue Coat buildings were converted into St Thomas's Community Network
.
Kates Hill has changed dramatically in the last 80 years, yet still retains many pre-1900 buildings; these include St John's Church and St John's School (though now in use as offices), as well as many late 19th century houses situated around St John's Road.
.
Dudley
Dudley is a large town in the West Midlands county of England. At the 2001 census , the Dudley Urban Sub Area had a population of 194,919, making it the 26th largest settlement in England, the second largest town in the United Kingdom behind Reading, and the largest settlement in the UK without...
, 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...
, 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...
.
History
Kates Hill was the scene of chaos in 1648 when parliamentarians used it as their base in the Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
against King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. As a result, many roads in the area are named in honour of parliamentary figures from that era and afterwards; these include Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
(Oliver Close and Cromwell Street) and Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
(Peel Street).
It is alleged that from Cromwell Street, Cromwell fired his canons at Dudley's Norman Castle
Dudley Castle
Dudley Castle is a ruined castle in the town of Dudley, West Midlands, England. Dudley Zoo is located in its grounds. The location, Castle Hill, is an outcrop of Wenlock Group limestone that was extensively quarried during the Industrial Revolution, and which now along with Wren's Nest Hill is a...
.
Kates Hill was not developed as a residential area until the 1830s, when houses were built to accommodate people moving to 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...
in hope of landing jobs in the ever-growing number of factories and coalpits that were being created in the region at this time. In 1840, St John's Parish Church was laid out and an adjoining church school was built soon afterwards.
As recently as 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...
, Kates Hill was surrounded by a substantial amount of farmland. There is still standing a historic grade II listed farm house, dating from the 17th century, at the top of Watsons Green Road; it is now solely a residential property as its farmland has long since been built on.
This rural scene was quickly swept away during the interwar years, as hundreds of council houses were built in the Watson's Green Road, Highfield Road, Corporation Road and Bunns Lane areas during the early to mid 1920s to accommodate families who were being rehoused. These included the very first council houses to be built in Dudley, which were situated on Bunns Lane and occupied in about 1920. Most of the roads on this development were named after British heroes of the recently ended Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
; these include Kitchener Road (Herbert Kitchener), Cavell Road (Edith Cavell
Edith Cavell
Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse and spy. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from all sides without distinction and in helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during World War I, for which she was arrested...
) and Haig Road (Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I.Douglas Haig may also refer to:* Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina* Douglas Haig , American actor...
).
The Green Park Road area was developed around 1930, along with Wolverton Road and the western section of Corporation Road, and the Rosland estate was added during the second half of the 1930s between Green Park Road and Bunns Lane.
The late interwar and early postwar years also saw most of Kates Hill's 19th century housing stock - and its numerous pubs - demolished, and much of the land was left undeveloped until the 1970s, when most of the remaining older houses were demolished to make way for new council housing.
Many of the newer properties on Kates Hill - notably blocks of four flats with two houses adjoining, with garages underneath the flats - are unique to the area, having been designed by an architect who received an award for designing the area's new homes which were built in the mid to late 1970s. They are built around the Peel Street area of Kates Hill, and a network of alleyways runs among the flats. This was initially a popular idea, as planners hoped to re-create the old-fashioned sense of community that had existed on Kates Hill up to the 1930s. But this proved to be unsuccessful as initially the alleyways were popular for drug addicts, vandals and muggers. Fortunately the problem has been reduced in more recent years.
Council bungalows and three bedroom houses were also built around this time on land between Peel Street, St John's Road and Cromwell Street.
Kates Hill Primary School on Peel Street was built in the mid 19th century when the residential area was first being developed. Part of the school was damaged by fire on 24 June 1969; shortly afterwards plans for a new school nearby were unveiled, and it was completed during 1972, being officially opened on 2 May 1973 by Alderman Morris, Mayor of Dudley. The new school incorporated a nursery unit for 4 years olds (and from the mid 1980s also 3 year olds), meaning that it served the 3-12 age range until July 1990, after which it was redesignated as a 3-11 school.
St John's Primary School moved to new buildings in Hillcrest Road on its merger with St Edmund's Primary School at around the same time. But the old St John's school buildings are still standing and have since been used by several different businesses, the current occupants being a recruitment agency.
Rosland Secondary School was opened on Beechwood Road in 1932, and it merged with the Blue Coat School on Bean Road in 1970; with the Blue Coat School existing entirely within the Rosland buildings after 1981. It closed in 1989 on a merger with The Dudley School, which saw the formation of Castle High School
Castle High School (Dudley)
For schools of the same name, see Castle High School.Castle High School is a secondary school located in Dudley, West Midlands, England. It caters for pupils aged from 11 to 16 years. It is also a specialist Arts College.-The school:...
in the town centre. It remained open for a year as an annexe to Castle High, as there was inadequate space for pupils at the Dudley School site. In 1991, the Blue Coat buildings were converted into St Thomas's Community Network
St Thomas's Community Network
St Thomas's Community Network is a community facility which serves the St Thomas's parish of Dudley, West Midlands, England.The opportunity for a large community centre in the Kates Hill area was on the horizon in October 1988, when Dudley council confirmed that the Blue Coat School on Beechwood...
.
Kates Hill has changed dramatically in the last 80 years, yet still retains many pre-1900 buildings; these include St John's Church and St John's School (though now in use as offices), as well as many late 19th century houses situated around St John's Road.
St. John's Church
There is a campaign to save St. John's Church which has drawn membership from all age groups and faith groups. The graveyard houses the famous Tipton Slasher and internationally known education leader and artist Marion RichardsonMarion Richardson
Marion Richardson was British artist, educator and author who published workbooks on penmanship and handwriting.-Biography:...
.
See also
- GornalGornal, West MidlandsGornal is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the West Midlands of England. Gornal encompasses three areas: Upper Gornal, Lower Gornal and Gornalwood; and is located to the northwest of Dudley...
- Wrens Nest Estate
- Russells Hall EstateRussells Hall EstateRussells Hall is a residential area of Dudley in the West Midlands of England. The area was extensively mined for coal during the Industrial Revolution and would remain open for many years, which meant the district had become highly industrialised in the then heyday of the Black Country's...
- KingswinfordKingswinfordKingswinford is a suburban area in the West Midlands.Historically within Staffordshire, the area is mentioned in the Domesday Book its name relates to a ford for the King's swine - Latin Swinford Regis. The current significance is probably in tourism, education and housing...