63-630: Kingswinford is a town of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in the English West Midlands , situated 5 miles (8 km) west-southwest of central Dudley . In 2011 the area had a population of 25,191, down from 25,808 at the 2001 Census. The current economic focus of Kingswinford is education and housing for commuters. Positioned at the far western edge of the West Midlands Urban Area it borders on
126-524: A chapel of ease , before regaining parochial status (with a smaller parish). It is the parish church for the Kingswinford Team of Anglican churches. The building is now a Grade II listed building . The churchyard contains Commonwealth war graves of four service personnel of World War I and six of World War II . In addition to the parish church, Kingswinford is also home to several churches of other denominations, including: Kingswinford
189-529: A grammar school established in 1552, converting to a sixth form centre in 1976. A small number of secondary schools in the borough offer sixth form facilities, while several others did so until the beginning of the 1990s when the local authority decided to concentrate post-16 education in further education colleges. In March 2011 Eton College and Star Academies announced their intention to open one of three sixth form colleges in Dudley, subject to funding through
252-673: A Green Flag Community Award. Despite not being in the bounds of Dudley borough, Himley Hall and Park is owned and run by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. In addition to the 180 acres of ‘ Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland, the Hall has a gallery exhibition space and is a wedding venue. Large public and private sector developments have taken place in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley since its creation in 1974. The closure of Round Oak Steelworks in December 1982 paved
315-589: A Nursery Unit (24 Primary Academy ); 19 Secondary (of which 15 are Secondary Academy Schools) and 7 Special Schools . Pupils transfer to secondary school at the age of 11, although between 1972 and 1990 pupils in the north of borough transferred to secondary school at the age of 12, and from 1972 to 1982 there was a three-tier education system in Halesowen where pupils entered first school at 5, middle school at 9 and secondary school at 13. The borough had well over 30 secondary schools on its creation, although this
378-716: A comprehensive school). The sole independent school in the borough is the Elmfield Rudolf Steiner School in Stourbridge, which follows the Steiner Waldorf curriculum. The Old Swinford Hospital school in Stourbridge is one of only 34 state-funded boarding schools in England, with education being funded by the local education authority (LEA). The main NHS hospital serving the borough
441-461: A focus on higher level engineering courses, it partners Dudley College of Technology , University of Wolverhampton , University of Worcester , In-Comm Training Services Limited and Avensys UK Limited. A Higher Education Centre for Health & Care is proposed as a partnership between Dudley College of Technology and University of Worcester and expected to be open for Autumn 2024. There are 104 Dudley Council schools: 78 Primary, 40 of which include
504-474: A new glass museum in nearby Wordsley. Near Kingswinford is Holbeche House , a small country house which has now been turned into a nursing home although as of August 2023 is boarded up. It was here in 1605 that most of the men who had attempted to blow up Parliament with Guy Fawkes were cornered, and a bloody gunfight ensued, resulting in the deaths of at least four of the conspirators , including their leader Robert Catesby . Bullet holes can still be seen in
567-653: A number of homes for private sale. In November 2021 Dudley Council was named homebuilder of the year (organisations with 16,000 homes or more category) at the Inside Housing UK Housing Awards. There are two further education colleges in the Dudley Borough: Dudley College of Technology , Halesowen College . The borough is also home to the King Edward VI sixth form college in Stourbridge, originally
630-550: A research facility for the development of VLR technologies and projects. The centre will redevelop the former Dudley Railway Station and reconnect the town with the National Rail Network. The DY5 Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone was launched in 2017 with the ambition to create 7,000 new jobs over 25 years. The zone is centred around the Brierley Hill area. The Dudley Townscape Heritage programme
693-608: A rural area extending past the River Severn ; but its position at the edge of the Black Country and its long standing in the area means it has had significant industrial influence in the past. This is illustrated by the influence in creating local workhouses, which shows a population of 15,000 plus in the 1831 census. Kingswinford has historically been in Staffordshire. The larger Kingswinford manor mentioned in
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#1732780679301756-406: A secondary school, which work closely with each other. The area known as Campus 21 has benefitted from investment including the building of The Brier School (SEN 5–19) and a new sports hall. The area has three major secondary schools: Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley , owned the manor of Kingswinford and was largely responsible for developing the mining industry in the area. George Saxby Penfold
819-502: A shift in focus towards the service sector (accounting for 79.1% of employment) and tourism . Despite this, there are still numerous large industrial sites around the borough, such as the Pensnett Trading Estate , with the manufacturing industries making up 15.3% of employment. Tourism is of increasing importance to the local economy, with approximately 6,600 people employed within the sector. Attractions such as
882-430: A £4million scheme. The former Sessions Court in the same complext of buildings been converted into Brookes Bistro restaurant. Named for Brooke Robinson who was a former MP and coroner for Dudley and left a bequest which led to the building for the former Museum and Art Gallery , Town Hall and Coroners Court. Relatively little new council housing has been built in the borough since the early 1980s, with almost all of
945-700: Is Russells Hall Hospital , situated to the south of Dudley town centre. Following a major expansion of the hospital in 2005, all inpatient services were transferred to the site from smaller hospitals around the borough, resulting in the closure of Wordsley Hospital , and the downgrading of the Guest Hospital and Corbett hospitals into outpatient centres. Psychiatric care is offered at the Bushey Fields Hospital , located adjacent to Russells Hall Hospital. Holbeche House Holbeche House (also, in some texts, Holbeach or Holbeache )
1008-702: Is a mansion located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) north of Kingswinford , now in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley but historically in Staffordshire . Some members of the Gunpowder Plot were either killed or captured at Holbeche House in 1605. The Gunpowder Plot was an attempt by a small party of provincial English Catholics to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament , thereby killing James I and his court, as
1071-471: Is on ongoing programme of work improving historical buildings in Dudley town centre. Phase 1 ran from 2008-2015, phase 2 from 2017-2023. Phase 2 started following a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant of £1.2 million. As part of the programme historic buildings were identified, repaired or restored. Heritage trails and open days were also developed. In addition, further development of the former Dudley Museum and Art Gallery site has been proposed as part of
1134-400: Is served by these local newspapers: Kingswinford serves 5–11 year olds with eight primary schools, one of which is a special school. Bromley Hills, The Brier School and secondary school, The Crestwood School, sit together on a site located on Bromley Lane, Kingswinford. They are part of a project that involves a standard Primary School and a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school, and
1197-568: Is well served by buses that connect it to Dudley , Stourbridge , Wolverhampton , Merry Hill and Brierley Hill . There has never been an official rail connection in Kingswinford, but there were halts on the now-disused Wombourne Branch Line . The nearest stations were the Gornal Halt , Himley , and Pensnett Halt . It was linked by rail to Oxley, and the colliery at Baggeridge. The halts and stations closed to passengers in 1932, and
1260-625: The Black Country Living Museum and Dudley Zoo bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The Merry Hill Shopping Centre in Brierley Hill is one of the largest shopping centres in the UK and is the main retail centre of the borough, with an average of 23.5 million visitors a year, and houses branches of several large retailers including Primark , Marks & Spencer , and Next . Other large employers in
1323-640: The Department for Education’s Free Schools Programme. Since the University of Wolverhampton closed its Dudley campus in 2002, the metropolitan borough is the largest district in the UK without its own university. Several projects in the Castle Hill area of the Dudley are now linking with local universities. The Black Country & Marches Institute of Technology opened in September 2021, with
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#17327806793011386-878: The Domesday Book of 1086 was located in the hundred of Seisdon in Staffordshire, with exclaves in Oldswinford in the ancient hundred of Clent in Worcestershire. Rural manors perpetuated noncontiguous holdings to allow diverse agriculture production and decrease risk of catastrophic crop failure due to natural disasters. The name Kingswinford relates to a ford for the King's swine (Kingswin(e)ford) – Latin Swinford Regis. The ancient parish of Kingswinford spanned Wordsley , Brierley Hill and Quarry Bank . The parishes of Kingswinford and Amblecote formed
1449-630: The Local Government Act 1958 , which saw an expansion of the three boroughs from the abolition of the surrounding urban districts of Amblecote , Brierley Hill , Coseley , and Sedgley ; and the municipal boroughs of Tipton , Oldbury , and Rowley Regis . Initially the borough had a two-tier system of local government, with the borough council sharing power with the West Midlands County Council . In 1986 metropolitan county councils were abolished under
1512-411: The Local Government Act 1972 , through a merger of the existing Dudley County Borough with the municipal boroughs of Stourbridge and Halesowen . The borough's main settlement is Dudley but it also includes the outlying towns of Brierley Hill , Halesowen , Kingswinford , Lye , Netherton , Sedgley , and Stourbridge . The borough borders Sandwell to the east, the city of Birmingham to
1575-453: The Local Government Act 1985 , and Dudley effectively became a unitary authority . Dudley Council has its main offices in Dudley town centre (where Dudley Council House is located), along with additional smaller offices throughout the borough. The council is made up of 72 councillors representing 24 wards . On its formation in 1974, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley was controlled by
1638-717: The South Staffordshire Railway Walk . Today, the nearest active railway stations are in Wolverhampton and Stourbridge. When the West Midlands Metro extension from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill is completed, its nearest stops to Kingswinford will be Brierley Hill and Merry Hill. In 2019, PMOL announced plans to reopen the South Staffordshire Line from Stourbridge to Merry Hill with the possibility of reopening
1701-531: The 11th century, although much of the main body of the building is from the 17th century. It contains a notable Norman carving of St. Michael slaying the dragon . The church is also home to a well-regarded two manual Nicholson and Lord pipe organ . It remained the church of the huge parish of Kingswinford until it was closed because of mining activities in 1831, when a new parish church was built, Holy Trinity Church in Wordsley . It reopened in 1846, initially as
1764-471: The 1950s and 1960s, has largely destroyed the original rural character of Kingswinford, the result being the complete absorption of the former village into the adjoining urban area. Until its closure in 2012, Kingswinford was home to food retailer Julian Graves ' head office and distribution centre. Kingswinford is a part of the West Midlands metropolitan county , West Midlands conurbation , and
1827-452: The 2021 festival postponed to 2022 due to the covid-19 pandemic. The Caste Hill area of Dudley is also a hub of visitor attractions including the Black Country Living Museum and the Canal and Tunnel Trust. Dudley Zoological Gardens , which is also in this area, is the second most visited paid visitor attraction in the West Midlands. The Archives and Local History Centre is now also
1890-761: The Council and serves for the whole of the Municipal Year until the next Annual Meeting. As part of the West Midlands Combined Authority , Dudley is also served by the Mayor of the West Midlands . The 24 wards of the Dudley Borough are each represented by 3 councillors. At the 2021 Census , the total population of Dudley Metropolitan Borough was 323,488, an increase of 10,563 from the 2011 Census . The population density
1953-640: The Crestwood School since adopting comprehensive status), King Edward VI Boys Grammar School in Stourbridge (which is now a mixed sixth form college), Stourbridge Girls High School (which merged with the Boys Grammar School and Valley Road Secondary Modern School to form Redhill School), Halesowen Grammar School (which merged with Halesowen Technical School to form Earls High School) and High Arcal Grammar School in Sedgley (which survived as
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2016-642: The Kingswinford rural district in 1894, and gave its name to the Kingswinford Parliament constituency from 1885 until 1950. However, Amblecote became its own urban district in 1898, leaving Kingswinford one of a minority of single-parish rural districts in England. Kingswinford rural district was added to the Brierley Hill Urban District in 1934, which became part of the County Borough of Dudley in 1966, now
2079-630: The Labour Party. Since then the controlling party has frequently changed, sometimes with no political party having a clear majority. Following the local elections in May 2024 the council returned to no overall control. The Mayor of the Borough acts as the Borough's first citizen attending many civic and ceremonial functions to represent the Council. They are elected at the Annual Meeting of
2142-422: The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. However, the rural part of the parish was removed to Kinver in 1933, becoming part of Seisdon Rural District in 1966 and since 1974 part of South Staffordshire . In 1951 the parish had a population of 27,757. On 1 April 1966 the parish was abolished and merged with Dudley, Stourbridge , Himley and Kinver, part also went to form Warley . Recent house building, commencing in
2205-637: The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley. It is situated on the extreme western edge of the conurbation, and to the north, east and south lie other suburban areas of the Black Country . However, the border to the west is green belt , which stretches for many miles through Staffordshire , Shropshire, beyond the Severn Valley and into Wales . The Kingswinford DY6 postal district covers the entirety of Kingswinford and its suburban village of Wall Heath , as well as nearby rural areas such as Hinksford and Ashwood . Broadfield House Glass Museum , on Compton Drive,
2268-536: The Wombourne Branch Line to Pensnett, a mile away. Plans had previously been forestalled by the discovery of an ancient ant colony in the area designated for development. Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC West Midlands and ITV Central . Television signals are received from either the Wrekin or Sutton Coldfield TV transmitters. Local radio stations are covered by: The town
2331-475: The area. It was centred on Townsend House, the family seat of the Badley family from the 17th until the early 20th century. The Georgian house was demolished in the 1950s to build a shopping precinct. John Badley of Townsend (1678–1768) was an ancestor of John Badley , F.R.C.S. and John Haden Badley the centenarian educator and founder of Bedales School . The parish church of St. Mary [1] dates back to
2394-644: The borough include JCDecaux UK, which has its Birmingham area office in Halesowen , Rentokil Initial , and Midtherm Engineering . Dudley borough has an increasing tourism offer, with attractions such as the Black Country Geopark being recognised in 2020 and the Stourbridge Glass Museum due to open in 2022. Tourism and the visitor economy is an important sector to the borough, supporting approximately 8,000 jobs. Many of
2457-473: The borough stood at 3.8%, slightly higher than the national average of 3.5%. 41.1% of those aged 16 and over were economically inactive, consisting of 24.3% retired, 5.2% looking after homes or family, 4.5% long-term sick or disabled, 4.2% students and 3.0% other economically inactive. A part of the Black Country , Dudley traditionally has been an industrial centre of manufacturing , quarrying , and mining , although this has declined in more recent years, with
2520-614: The borough's tourist attractions draw on the industrial heritage of the area. For example, the Red House Glass Cone is an original structure from the 18th Century glass making industry in Stourbridge. The site includes designer-maker studios, galleries and hot glass studio. The Stourbridge Glass Quarter locality is also home to The Lace Guild , Glasshouse Heritage Centre and hosts the International Festival of Glass every 2 years, most recently in 2019 with
2583-462: The bus station was rebuilt and a section of the 1960s shopping area demolished to make way for a new Asda superstore. A similar redevelopment of Stourbridge town centre in 2011/12 saw most of the Crown Centre completely rebuilt to incorporate a new Tesco superstore. There are currently several major regeneration projects throughout the borough. Significant infrastructure projects include
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2646-443: The entire line from Wolverhampton to Kingswinford was closed to freight traffic in the 1960s, although the stub near Pensnett Halt served the nearby Pensnett Trading Estate until 1994, when the entire stub to Kingswinford Junction was closed. Portions of the track remain in situ, however, as well as the platforms as far as Pensnett Halt. Gornal Halt has since been replaced by residential development, and Himley station now forms part of
2709-506: The estate were demolished as part of the regeneration. Since 2017 small developments of council housing have been built, including bungalows, housing and low-rise flats. Some properties have been designed to accommodate those with specific physical needs or those in need of supported living. The homes have been built across the borough ( Brierley Hill , Coseley , Dudley , Halesowen , Kingswinford , Lower Gornal , Sedgley and Stourbridge ). During this period Dudley Council have also built
2772-540: The fire was ignited by a stray spark. At about noon the next day, 8 November 1605, the house was surrounded by a posse led by Richard Walsh (the Sheriff of Worcestershire ), originally seeking those responsible for the raid at Warwick Castle. Most of the plotters were either killed or wounded in the ensuing fight. Some walls have holes from muskets used in the storming of the house in 1605. Those still alive were taken to London and later tried and executed. The building
2835-502: The heart of Kingswinford on the corner of Moss Grove and the High Street lies The Cross Inn. The building was Grade II listed in the 1970s. First recorded in the 1750 parish map, it was owned in the early 19th century by Diana Briscoe of Summerhill House. The pub was purchased from a previous owner by Wetherspoons in 2019. There is an area at the end of Kingswinford which has been known as Townsend dating back to 19th century maps of
2898-739: The home of the council run Dudley Museum . The museum is also the headquarters of the Black Country Geopark . Along with sites recognised as part of the Geopark, the borough has seven nature reserves and many parks contributing to its green spaces. In 2021, the Green Flag award was obtained by seven of the boroughs sites ( Buffery Park , Huntingtree Park, Mary Stevens Park , Priory Park , The Leasowes , Wrens Nest National Nature Reserve and Saltwells National Nature Reserve ). Mary Stevens Park and Priory Park were also awarded Green Heritage Site status, with Abbey Road Allotments recognised with
2961-604: The house's walls, but it is not open to the public. Many of the streets of the Charterfields housing development, built during the 1970s, adopted the names of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators, such as Catesby Drive ( Robert Catesby ), Digby Road (Sir Everard Digby ), Keyes Drive ( Robert Keyes ), Tresham Road ( Francis Tresham ), Ambrose Crescent ( Ambrose Rokewood ), Monteagle Drive ( Lord Monteagle – William Parker ) and Rokewood Close ( Ambrose Rokewood ). Located in
3024-827: The last separate infant and junior schools to merge being Red Hall in Lower Gornal in January 1997. There are no grammar schools in the borough, with all state schools being comprehensive , a system which has been universal in the borough since the mid-1970s. The former grammar schools in the borough were Dudley's Boys Grammar and Girls High Schools (merged with Park Secondary Modern School in 1975 to form The Dudley School, which in turn merged with The Blue Coat School to form Castle High in 1989), Sir Gilbert Claughton Grammar School in Dudley (which adopted comprehensive status in 1975 before closing in 1990), Brierley Hill Grammar School (actually situated in Kingswinford; it has been known as
3087-546: The new Dudley Transport Interchange and the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill West Midlands Metro extension. The 11km metro extension will connect Dudley, Merry Hill and Brierley Hill with the metro network and so to the proposed HS2 line. The first phase to Dudley town centre is expected to open for passenger services in 2024. The second phase will then extend to Brierley Hill, terminating in Cottage Street in
3150-616: The new social housing developments since then being built by housing associations . Most of the older private housing in the borough has been renovated rather than demolished during this time. However, there have been a number of redevelopment programmes involving 20th century council housing. In July 1999, four of the borough's tower blocks (two at Eve Hill in Dudley and two at Tanhouse in Halesowen) were demolished on consecutive weekends in controlled explosions. Two years later, two more tower blocks at Queens Cross in Dudley were demolished using
3213-556: The number of secondary schools in the borough fall to 21, dropping to 20 with the closure of Pensnett High School in July 2012, and to 19 when the Coseley School closed five years later. When the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley was formed, many primary schools were existed as separate infant and junior or first and middle schools, but by 1990 virtually all of the separate schools had been merged to create full circle primary schools,
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#17327806793013276-615: The prelude to a revolt during which a Catholic monarchy would be restored to the English throne. It was after the failure of the plot that the fugitives took shelter in Holbeche House, owned by Stephen Lyttelton . They had taken supplies from Warwick Castle on 6 November and weapons and gunpowder from Hewell Grange on 7 November, but the powder became damp in the rain. After arriving at Holbeche House at about 10 pm, several were maimed when gunpowder left to dry in front of
3339-594: The same method. Four tower blocks in Netherton are scheduled for demolition in 2017/18. In 2009, 266 homes on the predominantly 1930s Priory Estate in Dudley were demolished and the land later redeveloped with new housing. In the mid-1990s, the neighbouring Wren's Nest Estate underwent extensive refurbishment as well as improved community facilities in a multimillion-pound project funded by the European Single Budget . Four blocks of low-rise flats on
3402-531: The south east, Bromsgrove to the south in Worcestershire , South Staffordshire District to the west, and the city of Wolverhampton to the north. The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley was created in 1974 from the existing boroughs of Dudley , the Municipal Borough of Stourbridge and the Municipal Borough of Halesowen. This followed an earlier reorganisation in 1966, as per the provisions of
3465-484: The town centre following an additional £60million funding from central government. Regeneration projects around the Castle Hill area are combining innovation and education. The Black Country and Marches Institute of Technology opened in September 2021 and focuses delivery on higher level courses in manufacturing and engineering, medical engineering, modern construction methodologies and digital technologies. The Very Light Rail (VLR) National Innovation Centre will provide
3528-452: The town centre of Dudley from a merger of The Dudley School and Blue Coat School ; this new school also took in some of the former Gilbert Claughton and Mons Hill pupils. The 1980s had also seen the closure of some the borough's less popular and smaller primary schools, with the older buildings mostly being demolished and the more modern ones being converted for community use. The closure of Cradley High School in Halesowen in July 2008 saw
3591-561: The way for the creation of the Merry Hill Shopping Centre on nearby farmland between 1985 and 1989. The Waterfront leisure and commercial complex was developed on the site of the steelworks itself between 1989 and 1995. Pensnett Trading Estate in Kingswinford has been developed since the 1960s for mostly light industry and services. A major redevelopment of Halesowen town centre took place in 2007/08, when
3654-408: Was 3,320.4 residents per square km compared to the West Midlands region population density was 457.8 residents per square km. 84.9% of Dudley's population identified as White, with 82.4% identifying as White British , 0.3% as White Irish , and 2.1% as Other White. The second largest ethnic group was Asian and British Asian , making up 8.4% of the population (an increase from 2011 where the figure
3717-423: Was 6.1%). Black and Black British people comprised 2.5% of the population of the borough (an increase from 2011 where the figure was 1.5%). Statistics on religious beliefs show that 49.3% of the population identify as Christian (65.3% in 2011), with the second largest religious group being Muslim , at 6.2% (4.1% in 2011). 36% identified as having no religion. Unemployment amongst those aged 16 and over in
3780-459: Was Rector of Kingswinford from December 1831 until his death in 1846, but held other livings as well. William Robertson Coe , insurance, railroad and business executive, emigrated to the US. Frederick Augustus Coe , Iron works manager Metropolitan Borough of Dudley The Metropolitan Borough of Dudley is a metropolitan borough of West Midlands , England. It was created in 1974 following
3843-418: Was constructed in around 1600. The original house has a central block of three bays, with two stories and an attic with dormer windows, and projecting side wings with Dutch gables at each end. Some original wood panelling remains inside. New façades were added in the early 19th century, and the house was later expanded. In 1951, it became a Grade II* listed building , as Holbeache House. It later became
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#17327806793013906-424: Was housed in a Grade II listed building set in its own grounds, and formed part of the historic Stourbridge Glass Quarter. It had a notable collection of British glass, much of it made locally, from historic 18th-century pieces to contemporary works from Britain's leading glass artists. Plans to retain the collection at Broadfield House were shattered and the museum eventually closed in September 2015, to make way for
3969-457: Was quickly reduced as a result of the introduction of the comprehensive system a year later, which resulted in a number of schools being merged or closed. By September 1990, however, the number of secondary schools in the borough had fallen to 22 as a result of the closure of Gilbert Claughton and Mons Hill Schools and the merger of High Park and Longlands Schools in Stourbridge to form Ridgewood High. A year earlier, Castle High had been formed in
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