Ordnance Survey 1884 1:1250 plot of Brownhills, Catshill, Clayhanger and Walsall Wood. This is a scanned paper map, so may be slightly distorted due to paper stretch. A high resolution version is available from the links below. Note the 'Magazine' noted south of Walsall Wood Pit.
I’ve come across a paper map of southern Brownhills, Clayhanger and Shire Oak from the 1884 first survey, which I thought I’d share with readers.
It’s an interesting document, and worthy of close study. I like the notation of letter boxes at Shire Oak Crossroads and Clayhanger, and I’m intrigued by the ‘Magazine’ noted south of Walsall Wood Colliery. Note Rose Villa at Clayhanger (later to be Caddick House, I believe). It’s worth also noting that Brownhills Gasworks seems to be built on a mound – possibly, and I stress possibly – one of the lost Catshill tumuli, rumoured to be in the area. I also like the note of a Swingbridge on the canal near Clayhanger, which would have given the name to Swingbridge Farm.
For David Evans, wells are extensively noted with the ‘W’ mark. Other abbreviations are decoded by the Ordnace Survey themselves here.
You can download copies of this map at high resolution below. They’re quite large, so patience will be required on slow connections.
1884 Southern Brownhills, Clayhanger and Shire Oak – JPEG image – 10.4 megabytes
1884 Southern Brownhills, Clayhanger and Shire Oak – PDF – 9 megabytes
I’d like to thank the anonymous reader who located this map and scanned it. You’re a star.