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A LIST OF BOOKS WRITTEN BY MEMBERS

(These are available in Solihull Library)

Sue Bates Solihull: A Pictorial History 1991
Images of England: Solihull 1999
Solihull Past 2001
Stately Homes of Solihull 2001
Nigel Cameron History of Ashleigh Road 2002
Edna Handley Bentley Heath & Widney Manor 1992
Travelling On 1997
Charles Lines Solihull in Old Photographs 1998
Betty Simmonds Scouting in Solihull 2002
People of Elmdon 2006
Joy Woodall From Hroca to Anne 1974
(with Mollie Varley) Solihull Place Names 1979
(with Mollie Varley & Susan Bell) Solihull as it Was 1980
Welcome to Solihull 1984
Portrait of Lapworth 1986
Looking Back at Solihull 1987
The Book of Greater Solihull 1990
Gin, Ale and Poultices 1994
Solihull and Its Villages 2000
Welcome to Solihull (Revised) 2005

ARTICLES

Joy Woodall Marriage Explosion in Edgbaston
Edgbaston Parish Mag 1968
The Lapworth Missal Lapworth Parish Magazine 2002
Allan Evans Tudor Grange Birmingham Historian (23) 2002
Lost Gardens of Lisshicawn do (25) 2003
Edna Handley History of Methodism in Solihull do (25) 2003
Nigel Cameron History of Ashleigh Road do (24) 2003
Solihull Post Office do (27) 2005

     Early Birmingham

    Despite recent new research, excavation and rethinking of old ideas, the place where Birmingham began has not yet been determined. Place name evidence suggests that the name Birmingham means ‘the home of Beorma’s people’ but exactly where this was is still unknown. The name is thought to be early (6^{th – 7th Century), and perhaps belongs to the first phase of Anglo-Saxon settlement in this area.}

    The first written mention of the name is in the Domesday Survey of 1086. This tells us that before the Normans came Wulfwin owned Birmingham. After the Conquest it belonged to William de Ansculf, but the local lord of the manor was Richard. The population was small, nine families, it was a place of no consequence valued at £1.

    The change really came with the advent of the de Birmingham family. William de Ansculf owned Dudley Castle and many manors and land in the Birmingham area; the castle passed to the Paynel family. The steward of Dudley was one William. His son, Peter the Steward, acquired from the king, Henry II, a grant over land at Birmingham and Handsworth in 1153, and in 1166 the right to hold a market at his castle (or moated homestead) in Birmingham. He was now known as Peter de Birmingham and acquired more land in other places. Markets were the ‘in thing’ at this time for men with manors and land but a small population. If they were successful there was good money to be made. As we know, Birmingham did take off.

    The original moated manor house (or castle) was probably in Edgbaston St. Later it became the home of the priest at the church and a new moated manor house was built close to Moat Lane. The first market place was probably below the present church between it and the new manor house. The first church was probably built on the present site.

    Peter died in 1171 and was followed by his son William. Later the market place was moved further up the hill to the Bull Ring site, and in 1290 the present St. Martins was built. In the 12th/13th century the de Birmingham’s had a deer park in the area of Park St or Moor Street.

    The market became very successful and at least 7 Williams were Lord of the Manor of Birmingham. A market town was on its way.

Joy Woodall

12/10/07, revised 4/11/07