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Bloxwich
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Bloxwich is a town in the borough of Walsall, in the West Midlands of
England, with a population of around 40,000 people. Bloxwich
has its origins at least as early as the Anglo-Saxon period, when the
place name evidence suggests it was a small Mercian settlement named
after the family of Bloc (Bloxwich, earlier Blochescwic, meaning
"Bloc's village").
Some 19th century works suggest that at one
time Bloxwich was a settlement in the ancient manor of Wednesbury.
There is no conclusive evidence for this and Bloxwich has since at
least medieval times been associated with the manor and town of Walsall
(which for reasons unknown does not appear in the Domesday Book of
1086). Bloxwich itself is however mentioned in this book under the name
'Blockeswich'.
Traditionally there has been a strong rivalry
between Bloxwich and Walsall with origins as early as the English Civil
War, when Walsall was Parliamentarian in sympathy and Bloxwich, centre
of the Foreign of Walsall, was Royalist. This situation was exacerbated
by disputes over local taxation for the Poor Rate in the 17th and 18th
centuries - see Homeshaw, 1955
While still a village as recently
as the early 19th century, most of the local people were employed in
the newly founded mining and forging industries, as well as light
metalworking, though agriculture was still important locally as late as
the 1950s. Being part of the Black Country, the town grew rapidly in
the 18th century around coal mining, iron smelting and various
manufacturing industries. Manufacturing
in the area consisted of bridle bits, stirrups, keys, cabinet locks,
plane irons, buckle tongues, chains and saddles. Its most famous
product of manufacture were awl blades, which it is reputed to have
surpassed all other places in the United Kingdom in manufacturing. It
is also known for its canals.
Famous people from Bloxwich
include Pat Collins, who was a Funfair owner during the 19th century.
The site of his house and Wakes grounds are now the location of an Asda
supermarket that was built during the 1970s. Also in more modern times,
Noddy Holder of 1970s glam rock band Slade and Rob Halford, lead singer
of seminal Heavy Metal band Judas Priest, who still owns a house in
Walsall despite being resident in the USA.
Being part of what is
now the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, Bloxwich was heavily developed
between the wars for council housing. Most of the council houses of the
1920s and 1930s were constructed around Blakenall Heath, as well as the
new housing estates of Harden and Goscote. In
the 20 years which followed the Second World War, the Lower Farm,
Beechdale and Mossley estates were also erected as council housing
developments, while the southern side of Harden was developed along
with the Rivers Estate at Blakenall Heath. Many
privately owned houses, mostly in the Little Bloxwich area, were also
constructed. In the 1990s and 2000s, many new housing developments have
sprung up both in Bloxwich and at Blakenall Heath.
Bloxwich has
in recent years completed numerous redevelopment projects - Bloxwich
police station, which also has responsibility for Willenhall and
Darlaston, the new market square and job centres are examples. In 2009
work will begin on refurbishing and improving Bloxwich Library (1960)
and Bloxwich library Theatre (1964), providing a renewed cultural
centre for the area.
Beyond Bloxwich Golf Club, Yieldfields Hall, to the north of the town
on the A34 marks the northern most edge of Bloxwich, Walsall and the
West Midlands, currently the border with Staffordshire.
Bloxwich
town centre is still mostly made up of Victorian and Edwardian
buildings and leafy parks and gardens, which maintain its origins as a
Staffordshire village. Good built examples are Bloxwich Hospital,
Bloxwich Hall, All Saints Church and several private houses in Station
Street, Stafford Road, Wolverhampton Street and Sandbank. Bloxwich
was once known to have more public houses than any other town in the
Borough (from the Georgian period to the 1960s), though these have
begun to disappear in recent years due to the economic situation. A
focal point is the well-known Bloxwich Fountain in the Promenade
Gardens. The
church contains the original cemetery which dates back to the early
1700s. When this stopped being available a new cemetery was created in
land between the High Street and Field Road, just to the north. The
last burial took place in 2000 and a new cemetery was open to the north
of Bloxwich on the Turnberry estate, a private estate which was laid
out during the 1980s.
The town
grew rapidly in the eighteenth century around coal mining and various
manufacturing industries. It is also known for its canals. Famous
people from Bloxwich include Pat Collins.
Bloxwich
town center is small with one main high street. Along this street is a
market, a bus station and an all year fireworks shop. Bloxwich police
station has recently been redeveloped over the past few years, but
little else in the town has changed.
Near by
estates include New Invention and Mossley.
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