HISTORY OF HARBORNE How to find Harborne HARBORNE Harborne was mentioned as a manor in the Doomsday Book of 1086 and is located between the Chad Brook and Bourn Harborne is an area of south-west Birmingham, three miles Brook. During medieval times it was a small farming village southwest from Birmingham city centre. based around the parish church and manor house. The parish church of St. Peter dates back to C14th, the present church being built in 1867. The manor house no longer exists, the site being incorporated into Grove Park.
During the 19th century Harborne changed from being mainly Public transport agricultural - well-know for its gooseberries, corn and potatoes, and cottage industries developed. Nails were made in the Buses 23 and 24 from city centre via Edgbaston homes of labourers and women provided laundry services for the wealthy city folks. Chad Valley toy factory was established in 1840 and remained in Harborne for 80 years. Rail - Cross-city line from city to University station 4 Harborne The railway, connecting HarborneIn brief to Birmingham, came to the How to get there town in 1874, as light industry increased and the population with it. Harborne voted to became part of Birmingham in Walk developed inHarborne 2018 by is Heritage a vibrant suburbvolunteers with afrom high street, three Blue Plaque Walk 1891.The railway carried passengers until 1934 and only miles TASBE(5 km) south west from Birmingham city centre. closed to freight in 1963. The disused line has been developed (The Arts Society Birmingham Evening) into the Harborne walk and cycleway, a green route alongside a nature reserve. HarborneWalking has plenty ofdistance green spaces: 2 parks , Queens Park and Grove Park and 2 golf courses. Public Transport Harborne swimming baths opened in 1923, being rebuilt as the Harborne Pool and Fitness3.89 centre miles in 2012. / 6.26 km From City By bus - using buses to Harborne. Parts of St. Peter’s CE school opposite the church date back to 1837, making it the oldest school in Birmingham still in use for primary education. However, the original school, founded in By train - from New Street travel to University station. 1757, was on the High Street at the top of what is now Station Road. In 1861 a new primaryCategory school was opened further down For more information visit: www.networkwestmidlands.com Harborne High street. In 1961 this moved to Station Road where it stands today. The old ‘clocktower’ building then Easy/Moderate became an adult education centre, but today it houses coffee BRIEF HISTORY of How to find Edgbaston EDGBASTON Central shops and restaurants. Also on the High Street, Harborne EDGBaSTON By car Library was originally built as a Masonic Hall in 1879, Celboldestoneand in the sponsored Doomsday book byof 1086 Calthorpe is Edgbaston Residents’ is an elegant leafy Society suburb just one purchased by the city for £2000 and converted to a library in thought to refer to Edgbaston and depicts it as an mile west of Birmingham city centre. Harborne is easily accessible by car. Car parking is 1892.The Bluecoat school, founded in 1722 by the then rector area of cultivated land of about 250 acres. There’s a wide range of places toEdgbaston eat, drink church dates from the 13th centuryavailable and at pay and display car parks, and there is of St. Philip’s church (now Birmingham Cathedral) to provide Edgbaston Hall, the manor house, now the Golf education for children of poor families, moved out to a site at club, somewhat later. During the Englishon-street civil war, car parking.Public Transport and shop along Harborne High Street, in From City the top of Harborne Hill in 1930 and is there now as an when Edgbaston Hall was the seat of Robert Middlemore, a Roman Catholic and Royalist, Buses along Hagley Road towards Quinton, independent preparatory additionschool. to Edgbaston Village a mileParliamentarian from troops extensively damaged the buses to Harborne
church and took over the Hall, which was Metchley Abbey has no religious association and was built in eventually destroyed. In 1717, the Middlemore line Train to Five Ways station Harborne (www.edgbastonvillage.co.uk).having been extinguished, the lordshipWalk of or Cycle about 1800 on land originally part of a medieval deerBRIEF park HISTORYEdgbaston was of purchased byHow Sir Richard to Gough. find Edgbaston EDGBASTON Central belonging to the de Birmingham family. Metchley Fort, EDGBaSTONthe During 10 years at Edgbaston he rebuilt both the Walk developed in 2018 by Heritage BLUE PLAQUES It is easy to walk andvolunteers cycle fromto Harborne. TASBE remains of which can be seen outside the Celboldestonenew Queen in the Doomsdayhall and thebook church. of 1086 The is Hall wasEdgbaston tenanted in is 1796 an elegant leafy suburb just one thought to refer to Edgbastonby William and depicts Withering it as who an became a membermile west of ofthe Birmingham (The city Arts centre Society. Birmingham Evening) Walk available through the ‘Walk Run CIRCULAR WALK Elizabeth Hospital, marks the site of a minor Romanarea fort of cultivateddating landLunar of about society, 250 a groupacres. of eminent men such as from about 40AD. Edgbaston church dates fromJames the Watt, 13th Josephcentury Priestlyand and Matthew Boulton. HISTORY OF HARBORNE How to find HarborneCycle’ app: www.walkruncycle.com HARBORNE Harborne was mentioned as a manor in the Doomsday Book of Edgbaston Hall, the manorThey house, were nowfeared the byGolf the common people and nd Public Transport 1086 and is located between the Chad Brook and Bourn Harborne is an area of south-west Birmingham, three miles club, somewhat later. Duringwhen the celebrating English civil thewar, 2 anniversary of the Brook. During medieval times it was a small farming village southwest from Birmingham city centre. when Edgbaston Hall wasstorming the seatof the of Bastille, Robert were attacked by a mob.From City based around the parish church and manor house. The parish Middlemore, a Roman TheCatholic Hall w asand threatened Royalist, but successfullyBuses along defended Hagley Road towards Quinton, buses to Harborne church of St. Peter dates back to C14th, the present church Parliamentarian troops extensivelyand the arrival damaged of military the support from Birmingham being built in 1867. The manor house no longer exists, the site ended the riot. church and took over the Hall, which was being incorporated into Grove Park. eventually destroyed. In 1717,Goughs the marriedMiddlemore into linethe Calthorpe familyWalkTrain and thetodeveloped Five Ways stationby Heritage Volunteers from The Arts Society
having been extinguished,Calthorpe the estatelordship continues of to dominate Edgbaston During the 19th century Harborne changed from being mainly Birmingham Evening and sponsored by Calthorpe Residents’ Public transport Edgbaston was purchasedto bythis Sir day, Richard many Gough. roads being named after family agricultural - well-know for its gooseberries, corn and potatoes, During 10 years at Edgbastonmembers. he rebuilt From bothearly the C19 th migrationWalk of developedwealthy in 2018 by Heritage and cottage industries developed. Nails were made in the Society and Calthorpe Estates. Buses 23 and 24 from city centre via Edgbaston hall and the church. The Hallmanufacturers was tenanted from in 1796 the city to the leafy volunteerssuburb from TASBE homes of labourers and women provided laundry services for www.tasbe.org by William Withering who oustedbecame the a member tenant farmers of the and allowed(The theArts building Society Birmingham Evening) the wealthy city folks. Chad Valley toy factory was established Rail - Cross-city line from city to University station Lunar society, a group ofof eminentlarge elegant men suchhouses as on tree -lined streets. No in 1840 and remained in Harborne for 80 years. and sponsored by Calthorpe Residents’ Society James Watt, Joseph Priestlytrade and or Matthew manufacturing Boulton. was allowed on the estate.
The railway, connecting Harborne to Birmingham, came to the They were feared by theHowever, common c opeoplencessions and were occasionally made town in 1874, as light industry increased and the population when celebrating the 2andnd anniversarythe Blind Institute,of the the Deaf and Dumb with it. Harborne voted to became part of Birmingham in Walk developed in 2018 by Heritage volunteers from storming of the Bastille, wereInstitute, attacked the Botanical by a mob. Gardens, the Oratory and 1891.The railway carried passengers until 1934 and only TASBE The Hall was threatened butits successfullyschool and defendedland for Warwickshire cricket club closed to freight in 1963. The disused line has been developed (The Arts Society Birmingham Evening) and the arrival of military supportwere granted from Birmingham in C19th. into the Harborne walk and cycleway, a green route alongside ended the riot. Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society a nature reserve. Harborne has plenty of green spaces: 2 parks , Queens Park and Grove Park and 2 golf courses. Goughs married into the Calthorpeobtained a family lease onand land the off Westbourne Road and Harborne swimming baths opened in 1923, being rebuilt as the Harborne Calthorpe estate continuesten to dominateacres of Edgbastonthe Botanical Gardens were first BLUe PLAQUEs Harborne Pool and Fitness centre in 2012. to this day, many roads beingopened named to the after shareholders family of the Society in 1832. members. From early C19th migration of wealthy CIRCULARWALK Parts of St. Peter’s CE school opposite the church date back to Blue Plaque Walkmanufacturers from the city to the leafy suburb www.tasbe.org www.calthorperesidents.org www.calthorpe.co.uk 1837, making it the oldest school in Birmingham still in use for ousted the tenant farmers and allowed the building www.tasbe.org primary education. However, the original school, founded in of large elegant houses on tree-lined streets. No 1757, was on the High Street at the top of what is now Station trade or manufacturing was allowed on the estate. and sponsored by Calthorpe Residents’ Society April 2019 Road. In 1861 a new primary school was opened further down However, concessions were occasionally made Harborne High street. In 1961 this moved to Station Road and the Blind Institute, the Deaf and Dumb where it stands today. The old ‘clocktower’ building then became an adult education centre, but today it houses coffee Institute, the Botanical Gardens, the Oratory and shops and restaurants. Also on the High Street, Harborne its school and land for Warwickshire cricket club Library was originally built as a Masonic Hall in 1879, and sponsored by Calthorpe Residents’ Society were granted in C19th. purchased by the city for £2000 and converted to a library in Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society
1892.The Bluecoat school, founded in 1722 by the then rector obtained a lease on land off Westbourne Road and as the Harborne Pool and Fitness centre in 2012. in centre Fitness and Pool Harborne the as Abbey Metchley of St. Philip’s church (now Birmingham Cathedral) to provide ten acres of the Botanical Gardens were first BLUe PLAQUEs education for children of poor families, moved out to a site at opened to the shareholders of the Society in 1832. the top of Harborne Hill in 1930 and is there now as an CIRCULARWALK rebuilt being 1923, in opened baths swimming Harborne independent preparatory school.
courses. golf 2 and Park Grove and Park Queens parks, 2
Metchley Abbey has no religious association and was built in about 1800 on land originally part of a medieval deer park spaces: green of plenty has Harborne reserve. nature belonging to the de Birmingham family. Metchley Fort, the BLUE PLAQUES remains of which can be seen outside the new Queen a alongside route green a cycleway, and Walk Harborne
Elizabeth Hospital, marks the site of a minor Roman fort dating CIRCULAR WALK from about 40AD. the into developed been has line disused The 1963.
passengers until 1934 and only closed to freight in in freight to closed only and 1934 until passengers
part of Birmingham in 1891.The railway carried carried railway 1891.The in Birmingham of part
and the population with it. Harborne voted to became became to voted Harborne it. with population the and
came to the town in 1874, as light industry increased increased industry light as 1874, in town the to came
The railway, connecting Harborne to Birmingham, Birmingham, to Harborne connecting railway, The
remained in Harborne for 80 years. 80 for Harborne in remained
Chad Valley toy factory was established in 1840 and and 1840 in established was factory toy Valley Chad
provided laundry services for the wealthy city folks. folks. city wealthy the for services laundry provided
Nails were made in the homes of labourers and women women and labourers of homes the in made were Nails
corn and potatoes, and cottage industries developed. developed. industries cottage and potatoes, and corn
the site of a minor Roman fort dating from about 40AD. about from dating fort Roman minor a of site the mainly agricultural - well-known for its gooseberries, gooseberries, its for well-known - agricultural mainly
the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, marks marks Birmingham, Hospital Elizabeth Queen new the
century Harborne changed from being being from changed Harborne century During the 19 the During
th
Metchley Fort, the remains of which can be seen outside outside seen be can which of remains the Fort, Metchley
deer park belonging to the de Birmingham family. family. Birmingham de the to belonging park deer incorporated into Grove Park. Grove into incorporated
built in about 1800 on land originally part of a medieval medieval a of part originally land on 1800 about in built The manor house no longer exists, the site being being site the exists, longer no house manor The
Metchley Abbey has no religious association and was was and association religious no has Abbey Metchley century, the present church being built in 1867. 1867. in built being church present the century,
The parish church of St. Peter’s dates back to 14 to back dates Peter’s St. of church parish The
th
there now as an independent preparatory school. preparatory independent an as now there based around the parish church and manor house. house. manor and church parish the around based
out to a site at the top of Harborne Hill in 1930 and is is and 1930 in Hill Harborne of top the at site a to out During medieval times it was a small farming village village farming small a was it times medieval During
to provide education for children of poor families, moved moved families, poor of children for education provide to
rector of St. Philip’s Church (now Birmingham Cathedral) Cathedral) Birmingham (now Church Philip’s St. of rector Brook and Bourn Brook. Brook. Bourn and Brook
The Blue Coat School, founded in 1722 by the then then the by 1722 in founded School, Coat Blue The Book of 1086 and is located between the Chad Chad the between located is and 1086 of Book
by the city for £2000 and converted to a library in 1892. in library a to converted and £2000 for city the by Harborne was mentioned as a manor in the Domesday Domesday the in manor a as mentioned was Harborne
was originally built as a Masonic Hall in 1879, purchased purchased 1879, in Hall Masonic a as built originally was
restaurants. Also on the High Street, Harborne Library Library Harborne Street, High the on Also restaurants.
education centre, but today it houses coffee shops and and shops coffee houses it today but centre, education Harborne
The old ‘clock tower’ building then became an adult adult an became then building tower’ ‘clock old The
In 1961 this moved to Station Road where it stands today. today. stands it where Road Station to moved this 1961 In A brief history of of history brief A
school was opened further down Harborne High Street. Street. High Harborne down further opened was school
top of what is now Station Road. In 1861 a new primary primary new a 1861 In Road. Station now is what of top
school, founded in 1757, was on the High Street at the the at Street High the on was 1757, in founded school,
still in use for primary education. However, the original original the However, education. primary for use in still
back to 1837, making it the oldest school in Birmingham Birmingham in school oldest the it making 1837, to back
Parts of St. Peter’s CE School opposite the church date date church the opposite School CE Peter’s St. of Parts Here are some of the places you will see on the walk the on see will you places the of some are Here H3 W. BYNG KENRICK (1872 – 1962) and conducted the first performance of Delius’s ‘Brigg Fair’ Harborne - Garden wall, Kenrick Building, Grove Road with the Liverpool Orchestra. In 1900, he settled in Metchley Wilfred Byng Kenrick was born in Birmingham and educated at Lodge (now called Metchley Abbey) and became Principal of The route Rugby School. On graduation from Balliol College Oxford, he the Birmingham School of Music (now the Royal Birmingham joined the family firm of Archibald Kenrick & Sons of West Conservatoire). With Elgar and the conductor Adrian Boult Bromwich, manufacturers of metal hardware products. From on the staff, the School of Music became quite prestigious. 1914 he served on various committees of Birmingham City Elgar dedicated his second Pomp and Circumstance March to Council, particularly the education committee, of which he was Bantock and when Elgar retired, Bantock was appointed Peyton Instructions start from Harborne Fitness chairman from 1922 to 1928 and again from 1931 to1943. Byng Professor of Music at Birmingham University. He was one of the Centre but as it is circular, the walk can Kenrick was instrumental in giving Birmingham an education first to conduct the works of Sibelius, who dedicated his Third Symphony to him. be started anywhere on the route. As you system of the highest order in spite of the difficulties of the time. walk around look for the blue plaques at In 1928 he became Lord Mayor of Birmingham, being made a He played a major role in the formation of the City of Birmingham the locations indicated on the sketch map Freeman of the City ten years later. In addition to Council work, Orchestra in 1919, the forerunner of the CBSO and the first work at the bottom of this page. he was a Governor and deputy Pro-Chancellor of Birmingham played by the orchestra in 1920 was Bantock’s overture ‘Saul’. University; a Governor and Bailiff of King Edward’s School; and In 1930 he was knighted, and in 1934 retired back to London to Start from Harborne Fitness, Lordswood Road. Or if had associations with Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the teach at Trinity College. travelling by train, from the University train station City Orchestra. follow signs to Women’s Hospital, then start from H4. Walk towards the roundabout to the right and cross the A year after Kenrick died, the family residence ‘The Grove’ was first exit, turning left at the second exit, Greenfield Road. H1 W.H. AUDEN (1907 -1973) - Harborne Fitness centre, demolished, the garden and grounds being given to the city as Plaque 6 is about 100 yards on the right. Lordswood Road (on right of entrance) Grove Park an open space for the enjoyment of the citizens of Winston Hugh Auden was an Anglo-American poet born in York. Birmingham. A paneled room from the house is preserved in the H6 DAVID COX (1783 - 1859) - 116 Greenfield Road A house on this site became his home from 1919 for the next Victoria and Albert Museum, London. David Cox, considered one of the greatest English landscape two decades. He studied English literature at Christ Church painters, was born in Deritend Birmingham, the son of a black- Oxford between1925 -1928 and after university spent five years Continue down Mill Farm Road and cross the grass onto smith and a farmer’s daughter. At 15, he was apprenticed to a teaching. In 1939 he moved to the United States and taught in Harborne Park Road. Cross dual carriageway, turn right, miniaturist painter, moving to theatre scene-painting two years American universities until 1945, becoming an American citizen walk down to the roundabout and take first left (Metchley later. Although resolved to becoming a professional artist, his in 1946. In 1947 he won the Pulitzer Prize for his poem ‘The Age Lane). At traffic lights turn right to hospital, go past living came mainly as a drawing teacher and author of a number of Anxiety’. His work covered themes of love, religion, morals and QE A&E and follow road round to the Women’s Hospital. of books on landscape painting. In 1805 he first visited Wales, politics. He returned to England to be Professor of Poetry at the landscape inspiring many of his future works. In 1813 Cox Oxford between 1956 and 1961. Back in America, he spent his H4 DAME HILDA LLOYD (1891—1982) - Women’s Hospital was appointed to teach drawing at the Royal Military College, winters in New York and his summers in Europe. Apart from Hilda Nora Shuffelbotham was born in Birmingham and went but resigned upon finding the environment too constraining. his writing, which included opera librettos, he also was involved to King Edward V1 High School before studying medicine at Married and with a young son, he moved to Hereford where he with documentary films and poetic plays. One of his poems Birmingham University, qualifying in 1916, when forty percent taught for 5 years at a girls’ school. In 1827, he returned to live written in 1937 ‘As I Walked Out One Evening’ has references of students were female as a result of the First World War. in London, exhibiting at the Society of Painters in Water Colour, to Birmingham. His poetry reached a wider audience after his Hilda specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and set up a but also at the first exhibition of the Birmingham Society of death, his poem ‘Funeral Blues’ being featured in the film service known as the ‘Flying Squad’. This consisted of teams of Artists. He continued with his iconic watercolours for the rest of ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’. He died and is buried in doctors and midwives who went out to obstetric emergencies in his life, then in his fifties he also began to paint and exhibit in oils. Austria, but a memorial stone to W.H. Auden can be seen the home, helping to save the lives of many women and babies. In 1841 the family returned to Birmingham to live here in in Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey. She was appointed lecturer at Birmingham University in 1934, Greenfield House, which remained his home until his death. becoming the first female professor in 1944. In 1936 Hilda He is buried beside his wife in the churchyard of St. Peter’s Walk around the corner into War Lane. Continue down the became a founder member of The Women’s Visiting Church, Harborne. hill, at double roundabout cross Fellows Lane at the first Gynaecological Club, which encouraged and supported roundabout and turn right into Tennal Road at the second female clinicians. She believed that women should return to Retrace your steps a few yards to Bull Street and walk roundabout and walk up the hill. practice after having children, a radical idea at the time and in down to find plaque 7 at number 10. 1949 became the first woman president of the Royal College H2 FRANCIS ASTON (1877 - 1945) - 91 Tennal Road of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists. Hilda Lloyd was made a H7 GEORGE HUNT (1892-1960) - 10 Bull Street Francis William Aston FRS, was a chemist and physicist. In 1922 Dame of The British Empire in 1951. George Edward Hunt was a leading Arts and Crafts jewellery he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his work on designer and maker, he was born in Dudley. After his mother the development of the mass spectrograph. Aston, born here in Continue past the hospital onto Metchley Park Road, turn died in 1927 the family moved to Harborne where he lived Harborne, lived in both this house and Tennal House opposite. first left into Hintlesham Avenue. At T-junction at Metchley until his death. At 5, George became deaf after contracting He attended Harborne Vicarage School and Malvern College Lane, cross the road to Metchley Abbey. This is private diphtheria. Privately educated until 16, he then won a free before becoming a student at Mason College, the precursor to property but plaque 5 is clearly visible from the road. place at the School of Art in Margaret Street and the Vittoria Birmingham University. After three years working in the brewing Street School of Jewellery and Silversmithing in Birmingham’s industry from 1900 he won a scholarship to carry out research H5 GRANVILLE BANTOCK (1868 - 1946) - Metchley Abbey Jewellery Quarter. George designed and made his prize- which led to his discovery of what is now known as ‘Aston Dark Sir Granville Ransome Bantock was a British composer of winning jewellery at his studio and workshop in the garden of Space’. Moving to Cambridge in 1910, he worked on studies of classical music and friend of both Edward Elgar and Jean this home. In 2006, Bonhams held a touring exhibition of his positive rays, obtaining evidence of the existence of two isotopes Sibelius. Bantock was born in London and studied at the work entitled ‘The Silent World of an Arts and Crafts Jeweller’. of neon. His research was interrupted by wartime work on aero- Royal Academy of Music. Later he moved to New Brighton He also designed the bronze panel on the headstone of the plane fabrics at the Royal Aircraft Establishment but resumed family grave in St. Peter’s Churchyard. in 1919. His invention of the mass spectrograph made possible the separation of isotopes by the slight differences in their mass Continue down Bull Street to Harborne leading to his formulation of the Whole Number Rule. High Street and refresh yourself at one of the many cafes, bars and restaurants*. Harborne To return to the start of the walk turn left Primary School H7 H1 and follow the High Street back up to the H6 swimming baths. H2 H5 * Refreshments and toilets are also available at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Women’s Hospital and University Station, in addition to Edgbaston Village - for details visit www.edgbastonvillage.co.uk
St.Peter’s School
His subsequent work into deviations from this Rule was of great Women’s H4 Hospital Edgbaston Village importance in the field of atomic energy. Aston was a keen sports- man and gifted musician. Also skilled at photography, he travelled Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham extensively, in particular in pursuit of his interest in astronomy. Grove Park University Cross Tennal Road and return to the roundabouts. Cross Train station Northfield Road and go right into Vicarage Road. Walk up H3 the hill to St. Peter’s Church (which is worth a look), then N right past the pub. Opposite St. Peter’s School cross the road, continue right into Grove Lane. Walk alongside the park then left into Mill Farm Road (plaque on a freestanding monument).