Knowledge Organiser –– Year 2 Geography Background Information The manor and town of Hales had belonged to an Anglo-Saxon king called Olwine but after the Norman Conquest it was given to Roger Earl of Shrewsbury. Halesowen is famous for a medieval conflict that has murder, rebellion and greed at its heart. Halesowen Abbey, which was founded by King John in the early part of the 13th century, was home to a group of monks, known as the White Canons of the Premonstratensian Order. Halesowen is a large market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the county of West Midlands, England. It is considered as one of the largest towns in the United Kingdom without a railway station. Historically in Worcestershire, the town is around 9 miles (14 km) from Birmingham city centre, and 6 miles (10 km) from Dudley town centre. The population of the town, as measured by the United Kingdom Census 2011, was 58,135.[3] Halesowen is included in the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency which is held by the Conservative James Morris. Vocabulary Definition What should I already know? Population All the people who live in a place Where I live – house number, locality, road name. Geographical Physical features of an area Housing Buildings where people live How to describe my local area. Employment Having a job which pays money Town Built up area where humans live That I live in England, UK and recognise UK on a world map. Environment Area all around us Human People I can name the 4 countries of the UK and some capital cities. Physical The land Impact How things are changed I can recognise a map and some of its features. Human Geographical Features Key Maps and Diagrams Population Jobs Housing Who would choose to live in towns? The urban area is mainly housing next to greenbelt land and farmland. There are links to motorway close by. There is a shopping centre nearby with range of shops. Bus routes run throughout the town. Schools, drs, shops, buses, parks, trees, ponds. Physical Geographical Features Size of geographical area Although mainly urban or suburban in character, Halesowen is near green belt land with excellent access to the countryside, for example the Clent Hills. It has many road links including Junction 3 of the M5 motorway, which allow easy commuting to Birmingham, other areas of the Black County or nationwide. The centre of Birmingham is approximately 30 minutes away by car and reachable by the number 9 bus. The centre of Halesowen is home to a Norman church, a football ground (where non-league Halesowen Town play) and Halesowen College, which was founded in 1939. Most of the housing in Halesowen is privately owned and was built in the 30 years which followed the end of the Second World War, although some parts of the town are still made up of Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses. The town centre was almost completely rebuilt during the 1960s and 1970s. .