Oxley, Wolverhampton
Encyclopedia
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. It forms part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency.
' from old English 'Oxa' (for the animal), and 'Ley' from the old English 'lēah' (recorded in the Domesday Book by the Normans as 'Oxelie'), meaning woodland clearing or meadow. The majority of Wolverhampton's place names are old English (Anglo-Saxon
) in origin, and at that time, much of the land was covered in woodland. Cannock forest
stretched down through Wolverhampton and would have encompassed the Oxley area – so the name means a clearing in the woodland with the presence of oxen.
Up until the 20th century, Oxley was very much a rural area, sitting on the route of the Wolverhampton to Stafford road.
Stafford Road, adjacent to the boundary with Bushbury North. Several shops, takeaways and banks are located here, including the Wing Wah Chinese buffet restaurant (formerly the Three Tuns Pub), a branch of the Nationwide Building Society
, Lloyds TSB
, a Firkins Bakery and several others. Principal local landmarks are the two towering railway viaducts crossing the Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line Canal
. A recent departure from the Oxley skyline was the blue and yellow chimney of the Goodyear
tyre factory. After car tyre production ceased in 2006 the Goodyear
plant went into an almost complete shutdown and, as of 2008, has now been partly reduced to rubble as part of a regeneration and housing project with the famous 81 year old chimney stack demolished on Sunday 29 June 2008. A new housing estate is being constructed here as of summer 2011.
Wolverhampton Science Park is situated near Oxleys south border, on the site of the old Gas works / Gorsebrook House
.
The Church of the Epiphany is the Anglican parish Church on Lymer Road, the building itself dates to the early 1960s. Installed within the Church is a fine example of a Compton Theatre organ
originally installed at the Windsor Theatre
in Bearwood, Birmingham. The local Polish
community has its centre and Catholic Church on Stafford Road, Oxley. The suburb of Pendeford
falls within Oxley ward.
Oxley is the location of a railway depot (on the site of the old Western Region
84B steam shed), currently used by Virgin Trains
to service its fleet for operation on the West Coast Main Line
. Pendeford High School
also lies in the ward.
Its western border is also the location of Autherley Junction
, where the Shropshire Union Canal
meets the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
, and of Aldersley Junction
, where the BCN Main Line
meets the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
.
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...
, 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 a ward of 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...
City Council. Its area code is WV10. It is situated in the north of the city, bordering 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...
and the Bushbury North
Bushbury North
Bushbury North is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands, England. It is situated to the north of the city centre, on the city's border with South Staffordshire....
, Bushbury South and Low Hill
Bushbury South and Low Hill
Bushbury South and Low Hill is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands, England. It is situated to the north of the city centre, bordering the Bushbury North, Fallings Park, Heath Town, St Peter's and Oxley wards, and forms part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency.It contains...
, St Peter's
St Peter's ward, Wolverhampton
St Peter's is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands. It has two parts: the city centre , and the inner-city areas immediately to the north and north-west, including Dunstall Hill and part of Whitmore Reans.It is bordered by the wards of Bushbury South and Low Hill, Heath Town, East...
and Tettenhall Regis
Tettenhall Regis
Tettenhall Regis is a ward of Wolverhampton City Council, West Midlands.-Geography:It is one of two wards covering the Tettenhall area, the other being Tettenhall Wightwick. It is situated on the western edge of the city, bordering South Staffordshire and the Oxley, St Peter's, Park and Tettenhall...
wards. It forms part of the Wolverhampton North East constituency.
Name and origins
The place name Oxley has its origins in the Old English language. 'OxOx
An ox , also known as a bullock in Australia, New Zealand and India, is a bovine trained as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration makes the animals more tractable...
' from old English 'Oxa' (for the animal), and 'Ley' from the old English 'lēah' (recorded in the Domesday Book by the Normans as 'Oxelie'), meaning woodland clearing or meadow. The majority of Wolverhampton's place names are old English (Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-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...
) in origin, and at that time, much of the land was covered in woodland. Cannock forest
Cannock Wood
Cannock Wood is a village and civil parish in the Cannock Chase District of Staffordshire, England. Situated near Cannock and Lichfield and north of Burntwood. It is approximately north of Birmingham and 14 miles north-east of Wolverhampton...
stretched down through Wolverhampton and would have encompassed the Oxley area – so the name means a clearing in the woodland with the presence of oxen.
Up until the 20th century, Oxley was very much a rural area, sitting on the route of the Wolverhampton to Stafford road.
Modern times
The focal point of Oxley is the Three Tuns Parade, a shopping area on the A449A449 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....
Stafford Road, adjacent to the boundary with Bushbury North. Several shops, takeaways and banks are located here, including the Wing Wah Chinese buffet restaurant (formerly the Three Tuns Pub), a branch of the Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society is a British building society, and is the largest in the world. It has its headquarters in Swindon, England, and maintains significant administration centres in Bournemouth and Northampton...
, Lloyds TSB
Lloyds TSB
Lloyds TSB Bank Plc is a retail bank in the United Kingdom. It was established in 1995 by the merger of Lloyds Bank, established in Birmingham, England in 1765 and traditionally considered one of the Big Four clearing banks, with the TSB Group which traces its origins to 1810...
, a Firkins Bakery and several others. Principal local landmarks are the two towering railway viaducts crossing the Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line Canal
BCN Main Line
The BCN Main Line, or Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line describes the evolving route of the Birmingham Canal between Birmingham and Wolverhampton in England....
. A recent departure from the Oxley skyline was the blue and yellow chimney of the Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
tyre factory. After car tyre production ceased in 2006 the Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
plant went into an almost complete shutdown and, as of 2008, has now been partly reduced to rubble as part of a regeneration and housing project with the famous 81 year old chimney stack demolished on Sunday 29 June 2008. A new housing estate is being constructed here as of summer 2011.
Wolverhampton Science Park is situated near Oxleys south border, on the site of the old Gas works / Gorsebrook House
Gorsebrook
Gorsebrook is an historic area of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, located alongside the Stafford Road between the areas of Dunstall, Oxley and Bushbury.-Place name and origins:...
.
The Church of the Epiphany is the Anglican parish Church on Lymer Road, the building itself dates to the early 1960s. Installed within the Church is a fine example of a Compton Theatre organ
Theatre organ
A theatre organ is a pipe organ originally designed specifically for imitation of an orchestra. New designs have tended to be around some of the sounds and blends unique to the instrument itself....
originally installed at the Windsor Theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in Bearwood, Birmingham. The local Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
community has its centre and Catholic Church on Stafford Road, Oxley. The suburb of Pendeford
Pendeford
Pendeford is a suburb of Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. It is situated NNW of the city centre, adjacent to the border with Staffordshire, within the Oxley ward of Wolverhampton City Council.- Name and origins :...
falls within Oxley ward.
Oxley is the location of a railway depot (on the site of the old Western Region
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
84B steam shed), currently used by Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
to service its fleet for operation on the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
. Pendeford High 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...
also lies in the ward.
Its western border is also the location of Autherley Junction
Autherley Junction
Autherley Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Shropshire Union Canal terminates and meets the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal near to Oxley, north Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England....
, where the Shropshire Union Canal
Shropshire Union Canal
The Shropshire Union Canal is a navigable canal in England; the Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union system and lie partially in Wales....
meets the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal is a narrow navigable canal in the English Midlands, passing through the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire....
, and of Aldersley Junction
Aldersley Junction
Aldersley Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Birmingham Main Line Canal terminates and meets the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal near to Oxley, north Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England....
, where the BCN Main Line
BCN Main Line
The BCN Main Line, or Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line describes the evolving route of the Birmingham Canal between Birmingham and Wolverhampton in England....
meets the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
The Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal is a narrow navigable canal in the English Midlands, passing through the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire....
.
Sources
- Canal Companion - Birmingham Canal Navigations, J. M. Pearson & Associates, 1989, ISBN 0-907864-49-X
- http://www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/D608419B-8BF8-493F-89B7-204FF5C8306C/0/Oxley.pdf 2001 Census