Eve Hill
Encyclopedia
Eve Hill is a residential area of Dudley
in the West Midlands
of England
. It was part of Worcestershire
until 1966 and briefly part of Staffordshire
until 1974.
The development of Eve Hill as a residential area began in the mid 19th century, as the population of Dudley was soaring as a result of the Industrial Revolution
. Hundreds of houses were built in the area around Salop Street which formed part of the main road leading to Sedgley
and eventually Wolverhampton
. St James's Parish Church was opened at this time to serve Eve Hill and the surrounding area. A new infants school, St James's, was opened on the corner of Salop Street and Himley Road.
Dudley Teacher Training College (later absorbed into the University of Wolverhampton
) opened off Salop Street in 1905.
Further development took place in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, with a mix of private and council housing being built on the land stretching towards the Priory Estate
that was developed before the Second World War.
The original part of Eve Hill, however, was still standing by the start of the 1960s, and by this stage most of the houses in the area were in an unfit condition with outdoor toilets, tin baths, and no electricity or running water. Dudley council
decided to demolish the bulk of the older houses around Eve Hill in 1962, and by the end of the decade the landscape had altered drastically. The older houses had been levelled, with many families being rehoused on new council estates like Russells Hall, and the site had been redeveloped with three multi-storey blocks of council flats; Millfield Court, Prince of Wales Court, and Butterfield Court. These tower blocks were 21, 19 and 16 storeys high respectively. A shopping parade including a butcher's shop and a Post Office
were built in the shadow of Millfield Court.
However, the tower blocks soon fell into disrepair and were blighted by crime. In March 1998, the council decided to demolish the two tallest tower blocks while retaining the third, and by the following April all of the 170 residents in the tower blocks had been rehoused. The tower blocks were flattened in a controlled explosion on 18 July 1999, by which time the remaining block had been refurbished.
Meanwhile, University of Wolverhampton
sold the old Teacher Training College and the 1960s extensions on the completion of a new campus in Wolverhampton city centre in 2002. The modern buildings were taken over by Dudley College
, while the old Teacher Training College was demolished and redeveloped as a private housing estate.
Shaver's End Water Works opened on Highland Road at Eve Hill in 1926.
Bishop Milner Roman Catholic School opened on Burton Road in 1958 and remains in existence today, although most of it was rebuilt during the early to mid 2000s.
The Eve Hill area effectively expanded in 1966 when Sedgley
Urban district
was absorbed into Dudley in 1966 and the borders of Dudley as a town were extended approximately one mile north-west. This area included Burton Road Hospital
, parts of which dated back to an 1859 workhouse
and had only become a hospital in about 1900. This hospital remained opened until December 1993 and it was demolished within a year, and since its demolition the site has been extensively developed for upmarket private housing. An ambulance station was also opened next to the hospital a few years before its closure, while since its closure a new fire station (replacing the building on Tower Street in the town centre) opened in the old hospital grounds in 1998.
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...
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...
of 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 was part of Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
until 1966 and briefly part 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...
until 1974.
The development of Eve Hill as a residential area began in the mid 19th century, as the population of Dudley was soaring as a result of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. Hundreds of houses were built in the area around Salop Street which formed part of the main road leading to Sedgley
Sedgley
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...
and eventually 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...
. St James's Parish Church was opened at this time to serve Eve Hill and the surrounding area. A new infants school, St James's, was opened on the corner of Salop Street and Himley Road.
Dudley Teacher Training College (later absorbed into the University of Wolverhampton
University of Wolverhampton
The University of Wolverhampton is a British university located on four campuses across the West Midlands and Shropshire. The city campus is located in Wolverhampton city centre with a second campus at Compton Park, Wolverhampton; a third in Walsall and a fourth in Telford...
) opened off Salop Street in 1905.
Further development took place in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, with a mix of private and council housing being built on the land stretching towards the Priory Estate
Priory Estate
The Priory Estate is a housing estate in Dudley, West Midlands, England, which has largely been developed since 1929.-History:The Priory Estate is so named because it is located near the Priory ruins and Priory Park...
that was developed before the Second World War.
The original part of Eve Hill, however, was still standing by the start of the 1960s, and by this stage most of the houses in the area were in an unfit condition with outdoor toilets, tin baths, and no electricity or running water. Dudley council
Metropolitan Borough of Dudley
The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It was created in 1974, and is made up of the towns of Dudley , Stourbridge , Halesowen, Brierley Hill, Amblecote, Sedgley and Coseley...
decided to demolish the bulk of the older houses around Eve Hill in 1962, and by the end of the decade the landscape had altered drastically. The older houses had been levelled, with many families being rehoused on new council estates like Russells Hall, and the site had been redeveloped with three multi-storey blocks of council flats; Millfield Court, Prince of Wales Court, and Butterfield Court. These tower blocks were 21, 19 and 16 storeys high respectively. A shopping parade including a butcher's shop and a Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
were built in the shadow of Millfield Court.
However, the tower blocks soon fell into disrepair and were blighted by crime. In March 1998, the council decided to demolish the two tallest tower blocks while retaining the third, and by the following April all of the 170 residents in the tower blocks had been rehoused. The tower blocks were flattened in a controlled explosion on 18 July 1999, by which time the remaining block had been refurbished.
Meanwhile, University of Wolverhampton
University of Wolverhampton
The University of Wolverhampton is a British university located on four campuses across the West Midlands and Shropshire. The city campus is located in Wolverhampton city centre with a second campus at Compton Park, Wolverhampton; a third in Walsall and a fourth in Telford...
sold the old Teacher Training College and the 1960s extensions on the completion of a new campus in Wolverhampton city centre in 2002. The modern buildings were taken over by Dudley College
Dudley College
Dudley College is a college of further education in Dudley, West Midlands, England.-History:In 1862 the Dudley Public Hall and Mechanics Institute was built. In 1896 this was expanded to become the Dudley Technical School, which became Dudley Technical College in 1926...
, while the old Teacher Training College was demolished and redeveloped as a private housing estate.
Shaver's End Water Works opened on Highland Road at Eve Hill in 1926.
Bishop Milner Roman Catholic School opened on Burton Road in 1958 and remains in existence today, although most of it was rebuilt during the early to mid 2000s.
The Eve Hill area effectively expanded in 1966 when Sedgley
Sedgley
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...
Urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
was absorbed into Dudley in 1966 and the borders of Dudley as a town were extended approximately one mile north-west. This area included Burton Road Hospital
Burton Road Hospital
Burton Road Hospital was a National Health Service hospital situated in Dudley, West Midlands, England.It originally existed within the Sedgley Urban district until that became part of Dudley in 1966...
, parts of which dated back to an 1859 workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
and had only become a hospital in about 1900. This hospital remained opened until December 1993 and it was demolished within a year, and since its demolition the site has been extensively developed for upmarket private housing. An ambulance station was also opened next to the hospital a few years before its closure, while since its closure a new fire station (replacing the building on Tower Street in the town centre) opened in the old hospital grounds in 1998.