Shirley, West Midlands
| Shirley | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
 St. James the Great Church, Stratford Road, Shirley | |
  Shirley Location within the West Midlands | |
| Population | 35,689 (2011.Wards) |
| OS grid reference | SP120790 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Shire county | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Solihull |
| Postcode district | B90 |
| Dialling code | 0121 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament | |
Shirley is a suburban area in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands, England. Historically a rural settlement within the county of Warwickshire, it is now contiguous with nearby Solihull and Birmingham.
History
[edit]The earliest known settlement in the Shirley area was at Berry Mound at what is now Solihull Lodge, in the west of Shirley. This was the site of an Iron Age Hill Fort, which may have been the scene of a battle between the forces of King Alfred and besieged Danes. The remains of a fortified village, protected by up to three series of earth banks, dating back to the 1st century BC, covered approximately 11 acres (4.5 hectares).[1] The remains of two banks of earth works can still be seen from the North Worcestershire Path which runs across the site and commences in Aqueduct Road, Major's Green.
The name Shirley was first recorded circa 1240 as 'Syrley' and means 'bright clearing' in old English. It developed from a small settlement arranged around a main street. This was Shirley Street, first recorded in 1322 as 'Schirleystret'. This is the part of the Stratford Road through Shirley where, in the past, most of the public houses and inns (Red Lion and Saracens Head) were situated.[2] During the medieval period, Shirley was part of the Manor of Ulverlei (now Olton) and this remained the case until the establishment of Solihull in the 12th or 13th century, [3] after which it became part of the parish of Solihull.
The use of the term Shirley Street was common by 1332 when the area developed as an isolated farming community along what later became known as the Stratford Road.[4] It was not until many centuries later, though, that the settlement grew significantly. Between 1725 and 1872, Stratford Road was a turnpike road, and the ease of travel along this from Birmingham. As a result, during the 18th century, traffic had increased along Shirley Street and inns sprang up to cater for the needs of travelers. This led to ‘sportsmen’ coming in large numbers to indulge in banned pursuits such as bull-baiting, prize fighting and cock-fighting and the inevitable drinking and gambling.[5]
Shirley's reputation for bull baiting, cockfighting and pugilism may have encouraged the church authorities to start building St James Church in 1831. It is speculated that either this or a mistake are the reason why the altar was placed at the western end, away from the location of these activities at the nearby Plume of Feathers Pub.[6] [7] The church was enlarged in 1882 and in 1893 Shirley became its own ecclesiastical parish.[8]
Shirley grew rapidly in the late 19th century and early 20th century, as people moved out of Birmingham, helped by the opening of the railway in 1908 as a Great Western route from Snow Hill railway station to Stratford upon Avon and on to Cheltenham. For a hundred years from the mid-19th century, Shirley had a racecourse, and this was supplemented by a public lido in Sansome Road, the Odeon Cinema on Stratford Road and the public library in Church Road, all in the 1930s.
The expansion of Shirley resumed after the Second World War and has continued apace in the recent time.[citation needed]In March 1954, when Solihull became a municipal borough, H.R.H. Princess Margaret presented the borough's charter and the ceremony was held at Shirley's Odeon Cinema.[9] Shirley had, by the mid-century, its own council and council house. However, with the rise of Solihull, it became managed underneath the Solihull Council, becoming two district wards: Shirley and Shirley South; the council house has since been demolished.
Shirley was struck by an F0/T1 tornado on 23 November 1981, as part of the record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak on that day.[10] The tornado later moved out over Solihull town centre.
The gateway to Shirley high street was once marked by the 'Powergen’ office building; a 1960s building by Birmingham architect John Madin who also designed the former Birmingham Central Library. In 2015 it became the filming location for a zombie movie starring Glenn Close, ‘The Girl with all the Gifts, before it was demolished in 2017.
In the north of Shirley is a district known as Robin Hood. Contrary to popular local belief, this is not believed by historians to be due to a connection with the English folk hero Robin Hood, but is instead due to a misreading of the original name of the area 'Robin's Wood'. The misread name was adopted by a local public house, and eventually other landmarks in the area such as a farm, a traffic island, a golf course and the Robin Hood Cemetery, eventually becoming the official name for the area.[11]
Retail
[edit]
The historic and current focus for shops and businesses in Shirley is along the A34 Stratford Road. The designated high street comprises a high proportion of independent retailers and charity stores, occupying smaller retail units in predominantly inter-war period properties.
There are several pubs in central Shirley, some of which have occupied several premises on the same sites. The Saracens Head pub, dating back to 1747 as a coaching inn, was where tolls were paid to use the road from Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon until 1872. The Red Lion pub, at Red Lion Square, dating back to 1751, is rumoured to be haunted by a poltergeist and there are reports of local people who have witnessed objects falling off shelves. A zeppelin bomb fell in the fields behind the pub in 1917. The Plume of Feathers, which was the site of many local 'sports' and instrumental in the growth of Shirley, was built in the early 1800s at the junction of Bills Lane and Stratford Road.
A significant investment into a new retail-led mixed-use centre is under construction. The 'New Heart for Shirley' was opened in May 2015. Building work on further residential properties are still continuing. Parkgate, as it is known, offers various shops, restaurants and other services such as a gym and the local library.
To the south of the high street (Stratford Road, A34), there are two retail parks; one of which is listed as 'Solihull Gate Retail Park'. Cranmore Retail/Business Park is mainly DIY and tool hire. Along the A34 there are many car dealerships. There are also plans to develop a large industrial park on Blackford Road side of Dog Kennel Lane, occupying the TRW site.[citation needed]
Education
[edit]Shirley School, which was in School Road until the 1970s, was built in 1833.
The only secondary school physically in Shirley is Light Hall School. However Tudor Grange Academy, Alderbrook School, St Peter's School in Solihull and Langley School in Olton have catchment areas that cover parts of Shirley. Tudor Grange became an academy in 2011 and now has a Sixth Form, joining St Peter's Sixth Form. Additionally, the Sixth Form College, Solihull and Solihull College are also major local centres for further education as well as Stratford-upon-Avon College via rail links.
Mill Lodge, Shirley Heath, Hasluck's Green, Peterbrook, Sharman's Cross, Woodlands, Streetsbrook, Blossomfield, Burman, Tudor Grange Primary Academy (Previously named St James's C:E) and Our Lady of the Wayside R.C. are all local primary and infant schools that serve pupils in the Shirley area.
Leisure
[edit]
Shirley has a public library and park, and some small patches of woodland at Bills Wood and Palmers Rough. There is also the nearby Stratford-upon-Avon Canal which provides a walking route into the Warwickshire countryside. Shirley Community Centre was opened by Princess Anne in 1985.
An annual 'Donkey Derby', a donkey-racing event, has been held in Shirley Park as a community fund-raising event annually since 1970, with the only exception being during the Covid-19 pandemic. The park itself was opened in 1927 by Dr James Coole Kneale as part of the grounds to his house, which stood next to the Saracens Head pub.
Religion
[edit]There are several churches in the Shirley area, with features of local note. Our Lady of the Wayside RC church contains one of Elisabeth Frink's Risen Christ sculptures[12] as well as brick relief art by Walter Ritchie. Built in 1965/6 it replaced the original church built in 1937, which is now the Parish Hall, with design including a then-innovative fiberglass tower. The local architect was Brian Rush, who went on to design many modernist churches in the Midlands.
St James Church is the Church of England parish church for the town. The church grounds contain a war memorial which was erected in 1921, when the population of Shirley was 3,073. There are 23 war graves and the War Memorial is unusual in recording the loss of an Army Matron, Katy Beaufoy, when the Hospital Ship Glenart Castle was torpedoed in 1918.
Also on Stratford Road (A34) is Shirley Baptist and Shirley Methodist Churches.
Transport
[edit]There are train services to Birmingham Moor Street, Birmingham Snow Hill and on to Stourbridge Junction in one direction and to Henley-in-Arden and Stratford-upon-Avon in the other direction from Shirley railway station,[13] which is located in Haslucks Green Road.[14]
The North Warwickshire Line from Shirley railway station currently only runs as far as Stratford upon Avon railway station; however, the line was a mainline continuing via Honeybourne railway station (which is on the Cotswold Line) as the Honeybourne Line to Cheltenham Spa.
The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal skirts the western edge of Shirley, and it is possible to walk along this to Kings Norton four miles (six kilometres) away, or Stratford upon Avon, further in the other direction.
Shirley is also served by several bus routes, including the 4A, 5, 6, 49, and 76, all operated by National Express West Midlands which all stop on the Stratford Road in the town centre. Other services that operate in Shirley include the A4, A5 (operated by Landflight) and X20 (operated by Stagecoach Midlands. Solihull town centre is a 15 minute drive away.
Notable people
[edit]There are various notable people who have lived in Shirley at one point in their lives, or who are buried in the area. These include:
- Lee Brotherton, music producer, known as Bentley Jones and PHUNKST☆R, grew up in Shirley and attended Shirley Heath.
- Mandy Rice-Davies, known for the Profumo affair, lived in Blenheim Road and attended Sharmans Cross Junior School.
- Paul Farbrace, former cricketer, Kent and Middlesex player and England assistant coach, currently lives in Shirley.
- Rem Fowler, motorcyclist, winner of the first Isle of Man TT race in 1907, is buried in the graveyard of St James' Church.
- Jack Grealish, England footballer, grew up in Shirley and was scouted for Aston Villa at Tythe Barn Lane.[15]
- Richard Hammond, television presenter and journalist, attended Sharmans Cross Junior School.
- Martin Johnson, former England rugby player and captain, lived in Solihull Road and attended Sharmans Cross Junior School.
- Leslie William Lively, soldier, winner of the Distinguished Conduct Medal, lived in Shirley.
- Jonathan Manns, urbanist and developer, grew up in Shirley attending Woodlands, St James CE and Shirley Heath schools.
- John Page, jockey, two-times Grand National winner, was born at Bannister’s Farm, Tanworth Lane, Shirley.[16]
- Janet Parker, medical photographer, the last person to die from smallpox, was cremated at Robin Hood Crematorium in Shirley.
- Thomas Turrall, soldier, winner of the Victoria Cross, is buried at Robin Hood Cemetery in Shirley.
- Ernest Henry "Chinese" Wilson, plant collector and writer, was raised in Shirley.[17]
- Ossie Wheatley, England cricketer, grew up in Shirley and attended Shirley College.
References
[edit]- ^ Historic England. "Berry Mound (328850)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 14 August 2009.
- ^ "Shirley history". www.solihull.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ "Solihull on-line history". Retrieved 18 September 2009.
- ^ Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; CP 40/629, in 1418;http://aalt.law.uh.edu/H5/CP40no629/bCP40no629dorses/IMG_1583.htm; 5th entry; the second defendant comes from 'Shirleystrete' in the county of Warwickshire.
- ^ Bates, Sue (1993). Shirley: A Pictorial History. The History Press.
- ^ Solihull Council. "Shirley Heritage Trail" (PDF).
- ^ "Shirley St James the Great | National Churches Trust". www.nationalchurchestrust.org. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ 'Parishes: Solihull', A History of the County of Warwick: Volume 4: Hemlingford Hundred (1947), pp. 214–229; URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=42685&strquery=shirley warwick shelley ; date accessed: 23 February 2012.
- ^ "Shirley history". www.solihull.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ "European Severe Weather Database".
- ^ "Robin Hood".
- ^ Domesday Reloaded: A Solihull Parish Priest (2)
- ^ National Rail timetable for Shirley
- ^ National Rail information for Shirley
- ^ Preece, Ashley; Beswick, Aiden (11 June 2021). "What Grealish scout thought when he first clapped eyes on England ace". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ "John Page – Shirley's jockey". Solihull Life. 9 April 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
- ^ D. J. Mabberley, 'Wilson, Ernest Henry (1876–1930)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
External links
[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
