#365daysofbiking JournalRecent tracks
Good Morning Starshine
Lynn Kellogg, James Rado & Gerome Ragni
11 months
Good Morning Starshine
Lynn Kellogg, James Rado & Gerome Ragni
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For
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That Voice Again
Peter Gabriel
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Living By Numbers
New Musik
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Sequestered In Memphis
The Hold Steady
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Good Morning Starshine
Lynn Kellogg, James Rado & Gerome Ragni
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Running
Technicolor
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Tonband Laufspur
Kosmischer Läufer
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Last Night Of The World
Bruce Cockburn
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Tag Archives: Burntwood
Phoebe James found safe and well – thank you all
Images posted on social media by the James family Great news just in – missing teenager Phoebe James from Burntwood has been found safe and well. Liz James, Phoebe’s mum, posted in the last few minutes: ****update**** By the power … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged 2018, 29 September, appeal, Burntwood, Events, Facebook, girl, James, Lichfield, Liz, Lost, missing, New Photos, Phoebe, Police, teenager, Things to do
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Grass fires at Gentleshaw ongoing
I was elsewhere yesterday afternoon as it’s good cycling weather – but I noticed from social media feeds and enquiries that there was a grass fire on Gentleshaw Common towards the evening.
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local media, News, Shared media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Wildlife
Tagged Burntwood, Common, Fire, Gentleshaw, Grass fire, grassfire, heath, Twitter, Vandalism, Wildlife
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Cliff and the Bluebirds – not Dover, but Birmingham!
Last week here I featured a film clip made be photo restorer and friend of the blog Lisa Ashby, celebrating Brownhills and the Black Country – Well, Lisa’s been at it again, and made a lovely clip about The Burntwood Bluebirds, the award-winning marching band from Burntwood.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Blue Birds, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Cannock, Carnival, Chase Wakes, Chasewater, cinefilm, clip, Competition, Events, Facebook, Film, Jazz bands, Lisa Ashby, local blogs, Local History, marching bands, mini-train, New Photos, Parade, Staffordshire, Stuart Cowley, Take me Higher, Things to do, Wendy Jones
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Do you know the Perrett family?
I’m looking for any local relatives of Mary Margaret Perrett who passed away in Burntwood a few years ago – Mary lived with her husband, who is also sadly no longer with us – as far as I’m aware, they had lived in Burntwood for a number of years.
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Posted in Environment, Events, Local History, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media
Tagged 2015, appeal, Burntwood, Family, husband, Lichfield, Local History, Lost, Margaret, Mary, Perrett, Staffordshire, Things to do
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Crossing purposes
Last Sunday I featured here a taster of a photo archive discovered by some of the local history community containing some remarkable and mysterious pictures of the area – and one of those filed under Burntwood – that of a level crossing, caused me some bafflement.
Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 2015, Burntwood, Ian Pell, Lichfield, Local History, New Photos, Pinfold crossing, Staffordshire, Uttoxeter
5 Comments
One little Spark is all it takes…
In the current economic and political climate, good news on public and community services is thin on the ground – so I was very happy to receive news of a wonderful followup to story I featured early this year.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Wildlife
Tagged activities centre, Brownhills Children's Centre, Brurtwood, BTC, buggy, Burntwood, campaign, Chasewater, childrens, Closure, community, dad, Ed, Esther Allen, Events, Facebook, Lichfield, meeting, Mondays, mum, New Photos, parents, Petition, Spark, Staffordshire, Start, Steve Lightfoot, Strollers, Sue Woodward, Things to do, toddler, Town Council, walking, walking group, Wildlife
1 Comment
Burntwood Wakes archive film showing now!
I’ve just noticed via Facebook that there’s a showing of a unique Burntwood Wakes archive film at St. Anne’s Church, Chasetown this afternoon (Saturday, 25th July 2015); showings start every 20 minutes from 1pm until 4pm – it’s free.
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Posted in Chasewater, Churches, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 2015, archive, Burntwood, Chase, Chasetown, Chasewater, Events, Facebook, Film, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, St. Anne's, Staffordshire, Things to do, video, wakes
1 Comment
Great news! Burntwood’s Children’s Centres saved for now
Here’s a really positive followup (and what looks at the moment to be a blog exclusive) to a story I featured a couple of weeks ago, when Esther Allen of The Chasewater Strollers parent and toddler group contacted me to publicise their petition against the planned closure of both Burntwood Childrens Centres – otherwise known as ‘Surestart’.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Wildlife
Tagged activities centre, Brownhills, Brownhills Children's Centre, buggy, Burntwood, campaign, Chasewater, childrens, Closure, dad, Ed, Esther Allen, Events, Facebook, Lichfield, meeting, Mondays, mum, New Photos, parents, Petition, Staffordshire, Start, Strollers, Sue Woodward, Things to do, toddler, walking, walking group, Wildlife
3 Comments
Important – help save Burntwood’s Children’s Centres
Esther Allen of Chasewater Strollers and Councillor ‘Aunty Sue’ Woodward have been in touch over the weekend to let me know that they’re very worried about the future of the two Children’s centres in Burntwood, and have launched a campaign and petition to keep them open.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Wildlife
Tagged activities centre, Brownhills, Brownhills Children's Centre, buggy, Burntwood, campaign, Chasewater, childrens, Closure, dad, Ed, Esther Allen, Events, Facebook, Lichfield, meeting, Mondays, mum, New Photos, parents, Petition, Staffordshire, Start, Strollers, Sue Woodward, Things to do, toddler, walking, walking group, Wildlife
2 Comments
Now the water has drained away
Following my post recently concerning some great maps sent to me by Bruce Littley, reader, friend of the blog and top local allotment whiz Steve Hames has been in touch with some great images of the path of the former Cannock Extension Canal which was pictured in the Aerofilms image in the post.
Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged Alotment, Bruce Littley, Burntwood, Canal, Canes, Cannock Extension Canal, Case Terrace, Chasewater, colliery, Conduit, Local History, map, movement, Norton, Old maps, pit, plan, Railway, Redevelopment, spoil, Staffordshire, Steve Hames, Things to do
4 Comments
What’s the plan?
This is an interesting one I’ve had cooking for a while – reader Bruce Littley has kindly sent me these scans of maps that he’s come across, and he’d like to know more about them – or at least the annotations sketched thereupon.
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Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged 1919, 1938, ammuniton, Bruce Littley, Burntwood, Canal, Canes, Case Terrace, Chasewater, colliery, Conduit, Local History, map, movement, Norton, Old maps, pit, plan, Railway, Redevelopment, scrapslag heap, spoil, Staffordshire, Things to do
7 Comments
Lost – Keep your eye out folks
I’ve had a couple of notes about lost items at Chasewater yesterday – a camera and a GPS – one of which got mangled by the server, so I’d appreciate the person involved contacting me again.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Just plain daft, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged Afternoon, appeal, Bench, Brownhills, Burntwood, Camera, Canoe Club, Chasewater, Chasewater Dam, Events, Garmin, GPS, GPSmap 64s, Lichfield, Lost, Memory card, Nikon, reader, Reservoir, Silly, Staffordshire, Things to do, Watersports club
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Thanks for an ingratitude
From time to time, I like to feature articles out of old gazetteers here on the blog – they are a great love of mine, and they help shine a new light on old, familiar places, as well as giving a neat insight into the times they were written in.
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Posted in Churches, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged 1930's, Arthur Mee, Burntwood, Garrick, Gazetteer, Johnson, Kings England, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, Lore, Nelson, New Photos, Panoramio, Shenstone, Silly, Staffordshire, Things to do, Wednesbury
1 Comment
The need for speed
It seems that reader Tony Winn opened an interesting can of worms when he set this fine question for the New Year Quiz.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Express & Star, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Aldridge, Andy Dennis, Ashmore, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Chase Terrace, David Hodgkinson, Ensign, Events, Express & Star, Fred, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, otor, Racing, Richard Noble, Shire Oak, sport, Springhill, Staffordshire, Things to do, TI, Walsall Wood
5 Comments
Controlled explosions in Burntwood today
Blimey, it’s all happening today – it seems some unexploded wartime grenades were found near Chasewater Industrial Estate, Burntwood (Known as the LCP) in the last 24 hours, which were subsequently destroyed in a controlled explosion.
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Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Wildlife
Tagged 2013, anti tank, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Chase Terrace, Chasewater, Chasewtown, controlled explosion, Events, Facebook, Grenades, Industrial Estate, LCP, Lichfield, Local History, New Photos, Police, Reservoir, Staffordshire, Twitter, UXB, Wildlife
6 Comments
Strike up the band!
This is a huge post, but it’s just so wonderful I couldn’t butcher it – Wendy Jones has been working hard and supplying me with loads of material relating to her time in the Burntwood Blue Birds Marching Jazz Band.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media
Tagged Blue Birds, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Cannock, Carnival, Chase Wakes, Chasewater, cinefilm, Competition, Events, Facebook, Jazz bands, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, marching bands, mini-train, New Photos, Parade, Staffordshire, Stuart Cowley, Take me Higher, Things to do, Wendy Jones
7 Comments
The march of time
I think it’s fair to say that in writing and curating this blog, fate occasionally turns up some remarkable material – whatever else this thing I labour over has done, it has actually seemed to have connected people to their history, and on rare occasions it has put back in touch people who were once familiar, but became separated by time or distance.
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Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local music, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Blue Birds, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Cannock, Carnival, Chase Wakes, Chasewater, cinefilm, Competition, Events, Facebook, Jazz bands, local blogs, Local History, marching bands, mini-train, New Photos, Parade, Staffordshire, Stuart Cowley, Take me Higher, Things to do, Wendy Jones
5 Comments
Staffordshire Hoard talk at Chasewater Innovation Centre tonight
hoard Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills Hoard, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, campaign, Chasewater, Hammerwich, Hoard trail, information, Local History, Local politics, memorial, monument, Ogley Hay, Staffordshire, Staffordshire hoard, Statue, Warrenhuse, West Midlands
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The gold hoard to arrive in Brownhills at last…
My apologies to top fellow and friend of the blog David Hodgkinson, as quite frankly, I forgot this one, and it’s quite important for Staffordshire Hoard fans and local historians alike.
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Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged Brian Stringer, Brownhills, Brownhills Hoard, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, campaign, Chase Heritage Group, Chasewater, David Hogkinson, Hammerwich, Hoard trail, information, Lichfield Live, Local History, Local politics, memorial, monument, Ogley Hay, Peter Walker, Robert Carr, SCAMP, Staffordshire, Staffordshire hoard, Statue, Warrenhuse, West Midlands
3 Comments
Stolen caravan alert!
Today, I had my attention drawn to a very sad theft appeal on Twitter – I’m always ready to post appeals of this kind, so please keep an eye out. Dave, the owner, must be heartbroken.
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Posted in Environment, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 2005, @theoadmeister, Ace Celebration 570, appeal, Burntwood, caravan, Dave Duke, Events, fully loaded, Lichfield, nicked, Police, Springhill Road, Staffordshire, Stolen, Theft, Twitter, Vandalism
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The man in the centre
I’ve received a fascinating enquiry from reader and friend of the blog Tony Briggs, who sent me a lovely photo, and other than his grandfather William Briggs being in the middle of the group, he knows nothing about it.
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Posted in Cannock Chase, Churches, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged 1940s, appeal, asylum, Bill, Briggs, Burntwood, Chadsmore, grandfather, Group, Hospital, Lichfield, Local History, Mystery, New Photos, photo, St Matthews, Staffordshire, Tony, William
6 Comments
An urgent appeal… anyone know Keiron Barley?
This is an odd little appeal for local people – Yesterday, Birmingham Cyclist blog admin @brumcyclist asked me the following:
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Posted in cycling, Environment, Events, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media
Tagged @brumcyclist, appeal, Beach, Birmingham Cyclist, Burntwood, Cycle rides, cycling, driving license, Keiron Barley, local blogs, Lost, Silly, Suffolk, Things to do, Twitter, urgent
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Where the art is…
Just a quick note to point out to readers that there’s some great coverage of the unveiling of Burntwood’s new mining memorial over on Lichfield Live – I passed through at about 2:45pm and it certainly looked very busy indeed – it seems like everyone had a great day.
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Posted in Cannock Chase, cycling, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local media, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged Burntwood, Events, Lichfield, Lichfield Live, local blogs, Local History, Mining memorial, New Photos, Phil, pictures, planning, Ross, Sankeys Corner, SCAMP, Staffordshire, Statue, Things to do, Twitter, unveiling
2 Comments
The other ‘Wood: from the air…
Following a request made by reader Kevin Barnett, I had a rummage through the excellent aerial images so kindly supplied by Gareth Thomas, Geographic Whizz from Lichfield District Council, feeling sure he’d sent me some. Sadly I was mistaken, and I’d already posted the one of Chasetown that I had.
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Posted in Chasewater, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media
Tagged 1963, Aerial, asylum, Bleak House, Brownhills, Burntwood, Burntwood Blog, Chasetown, Chasewater, colony, Cuckoo Bank, Edial, Five Ways, Fulfen, Hammerwich Station, Kevin Barnett, Lichfield District Council, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Reservoir, St Matthews, Staffordshire, Woodhouses
22 Comments
Some disassembly required
Readers with long memories will recall my ruminations on the Vulcan Bomber cockpit that notoriously found itself in a garden in Burntwood a few years ago. The story still gets a large quantity of hits, and I think it’s fair … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged aeroplane, Avro, B.2 XM652, Bomber, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, front garden, Hammerwich, Local History, New Photos, plane, Shire Oak, Silly, Staffordshire, Tom Moran, Vulcan
6 Comments
St, Matthews Hospital – can you help?
Following on from last week’s post about the the remarkable gallery of images of St. Matthews Hospital in Burntwood, the poster of those images, Tony Briggs, has been in touch to ask if anyone can help him gather personal reminiscences … Continue reading
Posted in Churches, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged asylum, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Burntwood Lunatic Asylum, Burntwood Mental Hospital, Coulter Lane, David Budden, Derelict, Local History, mental hospital, Midlands Heritage Forum, new pictures, Picasa, Redevelopment, Social Services, St Matthews Hospital, St Matthews Road, Staffordshire, Tony Briggs, Yamahapaul
3 Comments
The folk on the hill
It’s with great interest and thanks to the dedicated folks over at the Midlands Heritage Forum, that I can now highlight new information being collated about St. Matthews Hospital. Forum stalwarts YamahaPaul and TonyB appear to have done a great … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Environment, 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
Tagged asylum, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Burntwood Lunatic Asylum, Burntwood Mental Hospital, Coulter Lane, David Budden, Derelict, Local History, mental hospital, Midlands Heritage Forum, new pictures, Picasa, Redevelopment, Social Services, St Matthews Hospital, St Matthews Road, Staffordshire, Tony Briggs, Yamahapaul
3 Comments
This won’t hurt – Images of St. Matthews Hospital, Burntwood
Following my post earlier this week about Burntwood Asylum – latterly St .Matthews Hospital – I have been bowled over by the response of readers to what I thought might be a taboo subject. From reader responses – including some … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged Anna Neagle, Anna Sadowski, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Burntwood Lunatic Asylum, Burntwood Mental Hospital, Coulter Lane, Derelict, Ingrid Croot, Local History, Mary Hutchinson, mental hospital, planning, Redevelopment, Social Services, St Matthews Hospital, St Matthews Road, Staffordshire, This Won't Hurt, Woodhouses
7 Comments
Unspoken histories – what do you know?
I’m respectfully making an enquiry as to a bit of history that isn’t talked about much and may be quite sensitive for some. This is a subject that has long interested me in one form or another, and I think … Continue reading
Posted in Churches, Environment, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged asylum, Brownhills local history, Burntwood, Burntwood Lunatic Asylum, Burntwood Mental Hospital, Cane Hill, Coulter Lane, Derelict, Local History, mechanised, mental hospital, Old maps, planning, Rauceby, Redevelopment, Social Services, St Matthews Hospital, St Matthews Road, Staffordshire, This Won't Hurt, urbex uk, Woodhouses
26 Comments
Burntwood now world famous | The Burntwood Blog
The Burntwood Bog excels itself once again. Need I say more?
I’m loving the Burntwood Blog…
I’ve been watching this one for a while, and I like the style. You don’t have to be interested in Burntwood to find it funny, either. There’s only one problem, they don’t post often enough. The Burntwood Blog… ‘News and … Continue reading
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