Tag Archives: Bullings Heath

Have you lost a bird?

An unusual parish notice reaches me from reader and long time friend of the blog Caz – it seems that the colourful birdlife of Walsall Wood is no longer restricted to yaffles, goldfinches, bullfinches and robins – it now extends to canaries, too.
2014-06-09-theasianeconomyscanaryinthecoalminejustgotcrushed Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Cattle class

There’s still a very large degree of interest in the history of Walsall Wood’s Dairy Farm and particularly it’s barn – the strength of curiosity in this well built, intriguing structure has quite baffled me to be honest; when writing about it originally I assumed not many folk had noticed the existence of it, yet many folk seem to be fascinated by the history.

Dairy Farm 2 Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

What was lost, now restored

I am indebted to a Burnell yet again, as top chap and fellow cyclist Richard contacts me and points out something he noticed that I didn’t – Bullings Heath Grove is now a real place, with street signs and everything.
P1030906 Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, cycling, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Barnstorming

David Evans has been busy – not content with turning up the astounding swimming pool photo, he also found time yesterday to nip back to the remarkable barn at Dairy Farm, in Bullings Heath, Walsall Wood, to take some more photographs following the remarkable comment received from Joe Headley in response to the original article.

image005 Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Pepper ground

I have been sent this remarkable and incredibly thorough piece of research into the historical and mapping record for Pepper Alley by Hilary Little, who you’ll remember as the driving force behind the project to record the history and fabric of the lost beer house, the Royal Oak, in Bullings Heath, Waslall Wood.

Untitled Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

Under the thatch

This is an article that’s taken an awful lot of work to prepare – the young David Evans has been toiling on it for some time now, as well as other related matters, and it ties up a number of disparate threads relating to Streets Corner in Walsall Wood, and the families who lived in the thatched cottage that famously stood there for years.

1 Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The end and the beginning

Thanks to several people including reader and friend of the blog Caz and the Young David Evans who’ve both pointed out that the former Royal Oak in Bullings Heath, Walsall Wood, is currently being demolished.P1090161 Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Panoramio updates, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Royal Oak – a new chapter unfolding?

Thanks to reader Caz who pointed out last week that an application has been made to build a close of houses on the land currently occupied by the former Royal Oak pub in Bullings Heath, opposite the Black Cock pub in Walsall Wood.
Untitled Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

End of an era?

Thanks to the anonymous reader who flagged this up with me a couple of days ago. Further to our recent rumination on the matter of the former Royal Oak, at Bullings Heath, it’s been noted that the piece of land … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Royal Oak, Bullings Heath: The last century

This is the second of a multi-part epic. Researched painstakingly by David Evans, top bloke and stalwart of this blog, he wrote this up some months ago, and I’ve been working on bringing the information out in the best way … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Yew could be right…

Here’s an interesting theory from David Evans regarding Walsall Wood High Street, and the recent debate over pubs, beer-houses and other purveyors of the holy pint.Not sure I totally agreed with this hypothesis, but I’ll chuck it out there and … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local music, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Something wonderful from Omaha, Nebraska

Today, I received a wonderful, touching note concerning our combined research into the Derry Family, and Goblins Pit in Walsall Wood, from John Derry, a resident of Omaha, Nebraska.  I know lots of you put a great deal of effort … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Don’t believe everything you read…

I’ve been droning on now for some months about the need for accuracy and careful research in local history. It’s because I know that I’m as fallible as the next man that I, like you readers, worry so much about … Continue reading

Posted in Bad Science, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Cutting down the Oak?

Readers anticipating the next instalment of the Royal Oak story – the lost pub in Bullings Heath – could be forgiven for thinking I’d forgotten the subject, but nothing could be further from the truth. At the moment, I’m just … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Royal Oak, Bullings Heath: Explorations in local history

This is the first of a multi-part epic. Researched painstakingly by David Evans, top bloke and stalwart of this blog, he wrote this up some weeks ago, and I’ve been working on bringing the information out in the best way … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

Who’d be a carthorse?

Here’s another gem from [Howmuch?], who’s found this wonderful photo in the archives at Lichfield. It took us a while to work out, as it was unlabelled, but it is, of course, the western approach to the Black Cock Bridge, … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Made from girders

The long pondered question of subsidence in the Bullings Heath area, and the age of the black Cock bridge became a little clearer last week. Top reader and local history ferret [Howmuch?] found this wonderful snippet in the archives of the … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Digging deeper

The one element of curating this blog that never ceases to astound me is the willingness with which people donate their free time and skill to further research the subjects presented. Last week, you’ll surely recall, there was a huge … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Goblin it up…

Following the large – and welcome – interest in Goblin’s Pit/Wood/Coppy Wodd/Coppice Woods in Green Lane, Walsall Wood, I thought I’d trawl the mapping record to see what I could find. This section of the 1:50,000 scale pre 1884 first … Continue reading

Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Reader Caz: what a star!

Caz, a regular, long time reader of the Brownhills Blog has recently mailed me a couple of brilliant items which will be of huge interest to local history enthusiasts reading the blog. I’m turning them into a post of their … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Environment, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

A dying trade

You may remember that way back in February, I posted an article on the mysterious mortuary situated near Bullings Heath in Walsall Wood. The morgue in question had been mentioned by reader [CAZ], and subsequently spotted on a large-scale map of … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Local History, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The rise and fall

In the last couple of weeks, I’ve compiled two posts that questioned the oft-repeated local legend that the cottages by the Black Cock Bridge in Hall Lane, Walsall Wood, were originally built at the level of the canal and sank … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, cycling, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

A Filthy business

Paul Ford, researcher at Walsall Local History Centre and top blog contributor has once again excelled himself and ferreted out a top piece of local history from Walsall’s extensive archives. Paul has kindly offered to make this a reasonably frequent … Continue reading

Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The way the land lies

Since musing on the question of mining subsidence and the cottage in Hall Lane, Walsall Wood last week, I’ve been bowled over by the interest readers have shown in this topic. It seems to fascinate you folks as much as … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, cycling, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Panoramio updates, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

A sound foundation?

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been told by an assortment of teachers, old timers and local historians that the house by The Black Cock Bridge in Hall Lane, Walsall Wood, was originally built at the level of the … Continue reading

Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 51 Comments

A body of evidence

  It’s not often that I feel the need to lift an item out of the comments and publish it as a post of it’s own, but yesterday, Paul Ford, Walsall Local History Centre expert and research genius stunned me. … Continue reading

Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Local politics, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Council | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments