Wylde Green
Encyclopedia
Wylde Green is a residential area within the town of Sutton Coldfield
in Birmingham
, England
in the West Midlands
. It was in the county
of Warwickshire
. The area is in the Sutton Vesey
ward.
opened in 1862 (now on the Birmingham to Lichfield
suburban line). Urbanisation of the area proceeded rapidly thereafter. In 1923, the parish of Wylde Green was created out of that of Boldmere
.
In 1974 Sutton Coldfield
, of which Wylde Green is a part, became part of the City of Birmingham
.
Until recently there was a 1950s disused nuclear bunker that would have played a key role in the control of the Birmingham area in the event of a nuclear attack.
area that heralds the start of the town centre of Sutton Coldfield). To the south is the Chester Road crossroads, beyond which is Erdington
. To the east across New Hall Valley
is Walmley
, and on the west is Boldmere
.
Wylde Green Road, the road to Walmley, was noted for having a ford across Plants Brook
until around 1967. Within the valley are New Hall Valley Country Park
and Plantsbrook Nature Reserve. Also on the Wylde Green Road is a cottage which used to look over the ford. It was called the Fordkeeper's Cottage and was built by Bishop Vesey
.
Wylde Green is served by Wylde Green library, a one storey building that, up until recently, was run by volunteers. It is located to the rear of The Lanes Shopping Centre which, along with the rest of the street, hosts the main shopping area for Wylde Green. Opposite the library is Emmanuel Parish Church, a locally listed building, designed by William Bidlake
. The organ was produced in 1932 by Willis Organs. The church is home to one of the few remaining boys choirs and also has a well-established girls choir. Adjacent to the library is Wylde Green Primary School, opened in 1840. Another church in Wylde Green is the Wylde Green United Reformed Church, established in 1897.
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, 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...
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...
. It was in the 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 Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. The area is in the Sutton Vesey
Sutton Vesey
Sutton Vesey is one of the 40 electoral wards in Birmingham, England.Sutton Vesey is one of the four wards that make up the Parliamentary Constituency and council constituency of Sutton Coldfield. The ward lies to the south of Sutton Coldfield town centre and Sutton Park and includes the...
ward.
History
In the 16th century, this area of barren ghetto land was known as the Wyld and was sparsely populated. After the Enclosure Act of 1825, there was some development and in 1840 the growth of the population to about 60 led to the building of the first school. In the 1850s substantial Victorian mansions began to appear along the Birmingham Road. Highbridge Road and Station Road were laid out in 1858 in anticipation of the coming of the railway. The railway with its station at Wylde Green railway stationWylde Green railway station
Wylde Green railway station is a railway station serving northern Wylde Green and Boldmere in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is on the Redditch-Birmingham New Street-Lichfield Cross-City Line 6½ miles north east of Birmingham New Street, and is in Centro fare zone 4.The station was...
opened in 1862 (now on the Birmingham to Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
suburban line). Urbanisation of the area proceeded rapidly thereafter. In 1923, the parish of Wylde Green was created out of that of Boldmere
Boldmere
Boldmere is a residential area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is bordered by New Oscott, Sutton Park, Wylde Green and Erdington, and is in the ward of Sutton Vesey.- Toponymy :...
.
In 1974 Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
, of which Wylde Green is a part, became part of the City of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
Until recently there was a 1950s disused nuclear bunker that would have played a key role in the control of the Birmingham area in the event of a nuclear attack.
Geography
To the north is Beeches Walk (an informal boundary between it and the ManeyManey
Maney is an area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is situated close to the town centre of Sutton Coldfield and is also near Wylde Green and Walmley. The main thoroughfare is Birmingham Road, which runs through Maney.-Facilities:...
area that heralds the start of the town centre of Sutton Coldfield). To the south is the Chester Road crossroads, beyond which is Erdington
Erdington
Erdington is a suburb northeast of Birmingham city centre, England and bordering Sutton Coldfield. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
. To the east across New Hall Valley
New Hall Valley
New Hall Valley lies between Walmley and Maney in the Sutton Coldfield area to the north of Birmingham.In 2005, much of the valley was designated part of the New Hall Valley Country Park. The Plants Brook stream runs through the valley, and consequently it contains a substantial amount of wetland...
is Walmley
Walmley
Walmley is an area of Sutton Coldfield, England. It is in south Sutton Coldfield, near to Minworth, Wylde Green, Erdington and south of Thimble End. It is approximately northeast of Birmingham city centre...
, and on the west is Boldmere
Boldmere
Boldmere is a residential area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is bordered by New Oscott, Sutton Park, Wylde Green and Erdington, and is in the ward of Sutton Vesey.- Toponymy :...
.
Housing and facilities
Much of the housing dates from the 1930s, late 1940s and 1950s. Much of the area is a middle-class suburb, with pockets of affluence. There is one tower block located within Wylde Green, Heron Court, which is behind The Lanes Shopping Centre, which also has flats above retail floors.Wylde Green Road, the road to Walmley, was noted for having a ford across Plants Brook
Plants Brook
Plants Brook is a stream in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England.-Course of the stream:...
until around 1967. Within the valley are New Hall Valley Country Park
New Hall Valley Country Park
New Hall Valley Country Park is a country park located in New Hall Valley between Walmley and Wylde Green in the Sutton Coldfield area of north Birmingham. It is the first new country park in the UK for over a decade...
and Plantsbrook Nature Reserve. Also on the Wylde Green Road is a cottage which used to look over the ford. It was called the Fordkeeper's Cottage and was built by Bishop Vesey
John Vesey
John Vesey or Veysey was an English bishop.-Life:He was born John Harman, probably about 1462, the son of a yeoman farmer, in a farmhouse now known as Moor Hall Farm, Sutton Coldfield...
.
Wylde Green is served by Wylde Green library, a one storey building that, up until recently, was run by volunteers. It is located to the rear of The Lanes Shopping Centre which, along with the rest of the street, hosts the main shopping area for Wylde Green. Opposite the library is Emmanuel Parish Church, a locally listed building, designed by William Bidlake
William Bidlake
William Henry Bidlake was an English architect, a leading figure of the Arts and Crafts movement in Birmingham and Director of the School of Architecture at Birmingham School of Art from 1919 until 1924....
. The organ was produced in 1932 by Willis Organs. The church is home to one of the few remaining boys choirs and also has a well-established girls choir. Adjacent to the library is Wylde Green Primary School, opened in 1840. Another church in Wylde Green is the Wylde Green United Reformed Church, established in 1897.