Penn, West Midlands
Encyclopedia
Penn is an area now divided between Wolverhampton
in the West Midlands
and South Staffordshire
. Originally, it was a village in the historic county
of Staffordshire
. There is considerable confusion about exactly which areas fall within Penn. In 19th century censuses, Merry Hill
, Bradmore
and Warstones
are understood to form part of Penn, although these areas are generally understood to be separate today. However, there has never been any doubt that the two historic settlements of Upper and Lower Penn form the core of the area.
, signifying a hill or promontory, and is believed to refer to the hill on which St Bartholomew's Church
stands. The pre-Anglo-Saxon name may indicate relatively late survival of Celtic-speaking settlement.
The area to the east of Penn Road (A449
) and around St Bartholomew's church is referred to as Upper Penn, historically also as Penn Over. The village within South Staffordshire, and around St Anne's church is Lower Penn or Penn Under. These historic usages tend to confirm that the name has long been considered to refer to the ridge to the east, which is ascended via Church Hill, Wakeley Hill or Mount Road.
times: Domesday Book records Lower Penn as having belonged to Countess Godiva of Mercia and Upper Penn to her son, Earl Algar. In 1912, the base of an Anglo-Saxon preaching cross was discovered close to St Bartholomew's church. In fact, the name Penn suggests (but does not prove) that there was a pre-Anglo-Saxon settlement, with possible survival of Celtic language and culture locally into the Anglo-Saxon period.
The Norman conquest of England
brought a major shift in land ownership. The Penn area, along with a wide tract of Mercia, was assigned by William the Conqueror to Ansculf de Picquigny
, who built a motte and bailey fortress at Dudley
. By 1087, the time of Domesday Book, the Penn area belonged to Ansculf's son, William Fitz-Ansculf
. He had installed in Upper Penn a tenant called Robert, who also held lands from him in Bushbury
, Ettingshall
, Moseley
and Oxley
. The settlement had eight villagers and two smallholders. In Lower Penn, which had only 6 villagers with one freeman, he had another tenant, called Gilbert. Clearly both places were still mere hamlets.
Penn has had a church since at least around 1200 when St. John the Baptist's Church was first established by Sir Hugh de Bushbury
, apparently a descendant of the tenant Robert. The provision of a sizeable church suggests that Upper Penn, at least, had expanded considerably by this time, in line with a general growth of population and prosperity that began in the late 12th century. Hugh gave all the tithes from Upper Penn to the support of the church, making the holder of the living a Rector. The first incumbent was John of Wolverhampton. Around 1228, the founder's son, also Sir Hugh de Bushbury, married his cousin. As this match fell within the bounds of consanguinity
he was forced to bribe the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield
with the living of Penn. This did not stop the Bushbury family trying to reassert their control in later generations, although the bishops ultimately managed to retain their authority over appointments. The dedication of the church was later changed to St Bartholomew, but it is unclear when the name was changed: it is not attested before the 19th century. Some of the original fabric survives, but the present, mainly brick, building is largely the result of major restorations and enlargements in 1765, 1799 and 1845.
By the mid-12th century, Lower Penn was in the hands of the Buffery or Buffor family, who held it until the mid-15th century. It was sometimes called Penn Buffor.
Penn's growth in the Middle Ages was probably driven by its position on a major route, connecting not just the local towns of Wolverhampton, Stourbridge and Kidderminster, but the county towns of Stafford and Worcester, and forming part of the main north-south route of Western England. Traffic struggled up and along the ridge, past the hamlet of Ryecroft to Upper Penn. The present route of the A449/Penn Road evolved only in the modern period, with an 18th century toll road providing a more convenient thoroughfare and bypassing Upper Penn village.
A guidebook of 1851 says:
A large part of Penn has been absorbed progressively into Wolverhampton, which became a County Borough
in 1930 and a Metropolitan borough
in 1974, thus detaching much of Penn from the administrative county of Staffordshire. This gradual expansion of the boundaries of Wolverhampton was accompanied by a rapid development of suburban housing, particularly from the Edwardian period
, with many residents depending on the Sunbeam works for employment. Despite the depression of the 1930s, a further surge in housebuilding occurred, with much post-war infill. As a result, the area to the north and west of St. Bartholomew's church is almost entirely occupied by Wolverhampton's suburban housing.
of Penn contains part of suburban Wolverhampton
and part of rural South Staffordshire
, where the village of Lower Penn
is situated about one mile (1.6 km) to the west, within South Staffordshire and containing the parish's other church, St Anne's. However a large part of Penn in suburban Wolverhampton now falls within other parishes, in particular the Parish of Penn Fields, served by the churches of St Philip, St Joseph and St Aidan.
, West Midlands
. Penn ward borders the wards of Merry Hill
, Graiseley
and Blakenhall
as well as South Staffordshire
. It forms part of the Wolverhampton South West constituency.
There are three focal points where shops and other facilities are located, all situated on the A449
Penn Road, which runs south-west from Wolverhampton City Centre: Upper Penn (which is closest to Wolverhampton and contains a hospital), Penn itself, and Springhill (which is adjacent to the city's boundary with Staffordshire
).
There are four primary schools within Penn: Springdale, St Bartholomew's C of E, Warstones and Woodfield, all of which have nursery school
s included. There is one secondary school
: Highfields. There is also a community special school called Penn Hall School. Penn Library is situated in Upper Penn. In addition to St. Bartholomew's Church (Anglican), there is St Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Penn United Reformed Church
and Springdale Methodist Church.
Penn is a generally advantaged area with many upmarket houses that are mostly situated in the south of the area on land bordering the extensive South Staffordshire countryside.
(part of Dudley). An important amenity for local people, it is occupied by a golf course and farmland. It is overlooked from the east by St Bartholomew's church, descends to a hamlet centred on the old Lloyd's brewery, and rises again to the village of Gospel End
. Most of its area falls within South Staffordshire.
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...
in the 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...
and 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...
. Originally, it was a village in the historic county
Counties of the United Kingdom
The counties of the United Kingdom are subnational divisions of the United Kingdom, used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. By the Middle Ages counties had become established as a unit of local government, at least in England. By the early 17th century all...
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...
. There is considerable confusion about exactly which areas fall within Penn. In 19th century censuses, Merry Hill
Merry Hill, Wolverhampton
Merry Hill is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands and a ward of Wolverhampton City Council. It is situated in the south-west of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Tettenhall Wightwick, Park, Graiseley and Penn wards...
, Bradmore
Bradmore, West Midlands
Bradmore is a suburb of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands of England. It lies at the meeting point of the Graiseley, Park and Merry Hill wards of Wolverhampton City Council....
and Warstones
Warstones
Warstones is a suburban area of Wolverhampton, England, situated to the south-west of the city centre.Warstones has three schools, within a half mile vicinity of each other:*Highfields Science Specialist School*Springdale*Warstones...
are understood to form part of Penn, although these areas are generally understood to be separate today. However, there has never been any doubt that the two historic settlements of Upper and Lower Penn form the core of the area.
Etymology
Penn is probably derived from the Welsh languageWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, signifying a hill or promontory, and is believed to refer to the hill on which St Bartholomew's Church
St Bartholomew's Church, Penn
St Bartholomew's Church, Penn, is in Penn, a district of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Trysull, the archdeaconry of Walsall, and the diocese of Lichfield. Its benefice is united with that of St Anne, Lower Penn...
stands. The pre-Anglo-Saxon name may indicate relatively late survival of Celtic-speaking settlement.
The area to the east of Penn Road (A449
A449 road
The A449 is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from junction 24 of the M4 motorway at Newport in South Wales to Stafford in Staffordshire....
) and around St Bartholomew's church is referred to as Upper Penn, historically also as Penn Over. The village within South Staffordshire, and around St Anne's church is Lower Penn or Penn Under. These historic usages tend to confirm that the name has long been considered to refer to the ridge to the east, which is ascended via Church Hill, Wakeley Hill or Mount Road.
History
There was settlement and possibly a church in Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
times: Domesday Book records Lower Penn as having belonged to Countess Godiva of Mercia and Upper Penn to her son, Earl Algar. In 1912, the base of an Anglo-Saxon preaching cross was discovered close to St Bartholomew's church. In fact, the name Penn suggests (but does not prove) that there was a pre-Anglo-Saxon settlement, with possible survival of Celtic language and culture locally into the Anglo-Saxon period.
The Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
brought a major shift in land ownership. The Penn area, along with a wide tract of Mercia, was assigned by William the Conqueror to Ansculf de Picquigny
Ansculf de Picquigny
Ansculf de Picquigny was a French baron who followed William the Conqueror to England.He was born the son of Guermond de Picquigny of Picquigny, a village near Amiens in Picardy and with his brother Gilo, crossed to England with Duke William of Normandy...
, who built a motte and bailey fortress at Dudley
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...
. By 1087, the time of Domesday Book, the Penn area belonged to Ansculf's son, William Fitz-Ansculf
William Fitz-Ansculf
William Fitz-Ansculf was a Norman-French landowner who suceeded his father, Ansculf de Picquigny.-Birth and early life:William's date of birth is not known, though it was likely in Picquigny, Somme, France in the mid 11th Century...
. He had installed in Upper Penn a tenant called Robert, who also held lands from him in Bushbury
Bushbury
Bushbury is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It lies two miles north-east of Wolverhampton city centre, divided between the Bushbury North and Bushbury South and Low Hill wards.- Place name and history :...
, Ettingshall
Ettingshall
Ettingshall is an area of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England, and is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council.-History:Ettingshall was mentioned as an ancient manor in the Domesday Book of 1086...
, Moseley
Moseley Old Hall
Moseley Old Hall is a National Trust property located in Fordhouses, north of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom. It is famous as one of the resting places of Charles II of England during his escape to France following defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.-Background:The Hall was built in...
and Oxley
Oxley, Wolverhampton
Oxley is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, and a ward of Wolverhampton City Council. Its area code is WV10. It is situated in the north of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Bushbury North, Bushbury South and Low Hill, St Peter's and Tettenhall Regis wards...
. The settlement had eight villagers and two smallholders. In Lower Penn, which had only 6 villagers with one freeman, he had another tenant, called Gilbert. Clearly both places were still mere hamlets.
Penn has had a church since at least around 1200 when St. John the Baptist's Church was first established by Sir Hugh de Bushbury
Bushbury
Bushbury is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It lies two miles north-east of Wolverhampton city centre, divided between the Bushbury North and Bushbury South and Low Hill wards.- Place name and history :...
, apparently a descendant of the tenant Robert. The provision of a sizeable church suggests that Upper Penn, at least, had expanded considerably by this time, in line with a general growth of population and prosperity that began in the late 12th century. Hugh gave all the tithes from Upper Penn to the support of the church, making the holder of the living a Rector. The first incumbent was John of Wolverhampton. Around 1228, the founder's son, also Sir Hugh de Bushbury, married his cousin. As this match fell within the bounds of consanguinity
Consanguinity
Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person...
he was forced to bribe the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
with the living of Penn. This did not stop the Bushbury family trying to reassert their control in later generations, although the bishops ultimately managed to retain their authority over appointments. The dedication of the church was later changed to St Bartholomew, but it is unclear when the name was changed: it is not attested before the 19th century. Some of the original fabric survives, but the present, mainly brick, building is largely the result of major restorations and enlargements in 1765, 1799 and 1845.
By the mid-12th century, Lower Penn was in the hands of the Buffery or Buffor family, who held it until the mid-15th century. It was sometimes called Penn Buffor.
Penn's growth in the Middle Ages was probably driven by its position on a major route, connecting not just the local towns of Wolverhampton, Stourbridge and Kidderminster, but the county towns of Stafford and Worcester, and forming part of the main north-south route of Western England. Traffic struggled up and along the ridge, past the hamlet of Ryecroft to Upper Penn. The present route of the A449/Penn Road evolved only in the modern period, with an 18th century toll road providing a more convenient thoroughfare and bypassing Upper Penn village.
A guidebook of 1851 says:
Penn is a large parish, comprising 3890 acres, and the two townships and villages of Upper and Lower Penn, the former of which has 716 and the latter 226 inhabitants. The Duke of Sutherland is lord of the manor, and owner of a large portion of the soil. The rest belongs to the following resident freeholders, JW Sparrow, Esq, of Penn Hall; the Rev William Dalton, of Lloyd House; Robert Thacker, Esq, of Muchall Hall; Sidney Cartwright, Esq, of the Leasowes, and a few smaller owners.
A large part of Penn has been absorbed progressively into Wolverhampton, which became a County Borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
in 1930 and a Metropolitan borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
in 1974, thus detaching much of Penn from the administrative county of Staffordshire. This gradual expansion of the boundaries of Wolverhampton was accompanied by a rapid development of suburban housing, particularly from the Edwardian period
Edwardian period
The Edwardian era or Edwardian period in the United Kingdom is the period covering the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910.The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 and the succession of her son Edward marked the end of the Victorian era...
, with many residents depending on the Sunbeam works for employment. Despite the depression of the 1930s, a further surge in housebuilding occurred, with much post-war infill. As a result, the area to the north and west of St. Bartholomew's church is almost entirely occupied by Wolverhampton's suburban housing.
Ecclesiastical divisions
Nowadays, the ParishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Penn contains part of suburban 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 part of rural 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...
, where the village of Lower Penn
Lower Penn
Lower Penn is a village in South Staffordshire, situated to the south-west of Wolverhampton, West Midlands.The Civil Parish covers the area of the historic Parish of Penn that is not now covered by the city of Wolverhampton and thus covers a wider area than that immediately surrounding the village...
is situated about one mile (1.6 km) to the west, within South Staffordshire and containing the parish's other church, St Anne's. However a large part of Penn in suburban Wolverhampton now falls within other parishes, in particular the Parish of Penn Fields, served by the churches of St Philip, St Joseph and St Aidan.
Penn ward within Wolverhampton
Penn (population 12,392) is a formal ward of WolverhamptonWolverhampton
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...
, 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...
. Penn ward borders the wards of Merry Hill
Merry Hill
Merry Hill may refer to:*Merry Hill, Wolverhampton, a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands*Merry Hill Shopping Centre, near Brierley Hill, West Midlands*Merry Hill, North Carolina, a town of Bertie County...
, Graiseley
Graiseley
Graiseley is both an inner-city area of Wolverhampton, situated immediately to the south-west of the city centre, and the name of a ward of Wolverhampton City Council.-Place-name:...
and Blakenhall
Blakenhall
Blakenhall is a ward in Wolverhampton, England.-Toponymy and history:Blakenhall's name, according to topynmists comes from the Old English 'blæc', meaning 'black' or dark coloured, & 'halh' meaning 'nook' or 'corner'...
as well as 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...
. It forms part of the Wolverhampton South West constituency.
There are three focal points where shops and other facilities are located, all situated on the A449
A449 road
The A449 is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs north from junction 24 of the M4 motorway at Newport in South Wales to Stafford in Staffordshire....
Penn Road, which runs south-west from Wolverhampton City Centre: Upper Penn (which is closest to Wolverhampton and contains a hospital), Penn itself, and Springhill (which is adjacent to the city's boundary with 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...
).
There are four primary schools within Penn: Springdale, St Bartholomew's C of E, Warstones and Woodfield, all of which have nursery school
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
s included. There is one secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
: Highfields. There is also a community special school called Penn Hall School. Penn Library is situated in Upper Penn. In addition to St. Bartholomew's Church (Anglican), there is St Michael's Roman Catholic Church, Penn United Reformed Church
United Reformed Church
The United Reformed Church is a Christian church in the United Kingdom. It has approximately 68,000 members in 1,500 congregations with some 700 ministers.-Origins and history:...
and Springdale Methodist Church.
Penn is a generally advantaged area with many upmarket houses that are mostly situated in the south of the area on land bordering the extensive South Staffordshire countryside.
Penn Common
Penn Common is a substantial area of countryside which juts into the urban area between Penn, Wolverhampton and SedgleySedgley
Sedgley is an urban village within the West Midlands county of England. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Sedgley was formerly an ancient manor composed of several smaller villages, including Gornal, Gospel End, Woodsetton, Ettingshall, Coseley and Brierley...
(part of Dudley). An important amenity for local people, it is occupied by a golf course and farmland. It is overlooked from the east by St Bartholomew's church, descends to a hamlet centred on the old Lloyd's brewery, and rises again to the village of Gospel End
Gospel End
Gospel End is a village in the South Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. It is situated on the A463 road, between Sedgley and Wombourne....
. Most of its area falls within South Staffordshire.
Notable people
Notable people who grew up in Penn are:- Nigel SlaterNigel SlaterNigel Slater is an English food writer, journalist and broadcaster. He has written a column for The Observer Magazine for over a decade and is the principal writer for the Observer Food Monthly supplement. Prior to this, Slater was food writer for Marie Claire for five years...
, food writer for The ObserverThe ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,... - Dave HillDave HillDave Hill is an English musician, who is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist in the English glam rock group, Slade. The music journalist, Stuart Maconie, commented "he usually wore a jumpsuit made of the foil that you baste your turkeys in and platforms of oil-rig-derrick height...
, SladeSladeSlade are an English rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles...
guitarist - Beverley KnightBeverley KnightBeverley Knight MBE is a British soul and R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer who released her debut album in 1995. Heavily influenced by soul greats such as Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, Knight has released six studio albums to date...
MBE, soul singer.