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John Reynolds | profile | all galleries >> England >> Hockley Heath: pictures and history tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Hockley Heath: pictures and history

Images from our home village of Hockley Heath in the borough of Solihull, West Midlands.

The name of the village is likely to have been derived from "Oakley" or meadow of the oaks. An important north-south route has run through the village for centuries. Today it is the A3400 but as far back as 1200 there was reference to a "magna via" - an important highway running through the Arden Forest between Birmingham and Beaudesert (Henley-in-Arden). With the advent of travel by horse and coach, a number of coaching inns were established by the late 1700s - one of which, The Nag's Head is still used today as a Harvester restaurant.

The Birmingham to Stratford canal reached Hockley Heath from Birmingham in 1798. The section of the canal between Hockley Heath and Stratford was not completed for another 18 years so for this period, Hockley Heath was, in effect, the terminus of the canal.

The combination of the canal and the major route with coaching inns lead to the establishment and growth of the village of Hockley Heath.

[Information from: "Tanworth in Arden: an introduction to the history of the ancient parish" by John W. Pettinger, 2005, Brewin Books Ltd. ISBN 1 85858 255 5].
Parish Church of Nuthurst and Hockley Heath
Parish Church of Nuthurst and Hockley Heath		 Wharf Tavern Hockley Heath
Wharf Tavern Hockley Heath		 Nuthurst Lane Evening Light
Nuthurst Lane Evening Light		 Nuthurst Lane field November morning
Nuthurst Lane field November morning
Nuthurst Lane,Hockley Heath after rain
Nuthurst Lane,Hockley Heath after rain		 Obelisk, Hockley Heath
Obelisk, Hockley Heath		 Obelisk on a frosty morning with cows
Obelisk on a frosty morning with cows		 Bluebells in baptist church grounds
Bluebells in baptist church grounds
Umberslade Baptist Church Spring 2005
Umberslade Baptist Church Spring 2005		 Tulips in baptist church grounds
Tulips in baptist church grounds		 Old School building
Old School building		 Little Spring Coppice
Little Spring Coppice
Lane to Baptist Church
Lane to Baptist Church		 Broken tree
Broken tree		 Lapworth Church from Spring Lane
Lapworth Church from Spring Lane		 Lapworth Church tower
Lapworth Church tower
Nuthurst Grange Lane field
Nuthurst Grange Lane field		 Canal boatyard
Canal boatyard		 Gateway to Obelisk
Gateway to Obelisk		 Approaching Obelisk Farm
Approaching Obelisk Farm
Gateway
Gateway		 Nuthurst Lane
Nuthurst Lane		 Umberslade Hall
Umberslade Hall		 Obelisk Farm from Nuthurst Lane
Obelisk Farm from Nuthurst Lane
Obelisk Farm from Nuthurst Lane December afternoon
Obelisk Farm from Nuthurst Lane December afternoon		 Nuthurst Lane view
Nuthurst Lane view		 Obelisk at dusk in December
Obelisk at dusk in December		 Obelisk evening view
Obelisk evening view
Canal from Wharf Lane
Canal from Wharf Lane		 lock_23_stratford_canal
lock_23_stratford_canal		 Railway crossing avenue of trees
Railway crossing avenue of trees		 Stratford Canal New Years Day 2010
Stratford Canal New Years Day 2010
Horse wanting a treat
Horse wanting a treat		 January 2010 vii
January 2010 vii		 Umberslade Baptist Church Spring 2010
Umberslade Baptist Church Spring 2010		 Graveyard at Umberslade church
Graveyard at Umberslade church
Tanworth in Arden church
Tanworth in Arden church		 Tanworth village from Umberslade Road
Tanworth village from Umberslade Road		 Wharf Tavern at dusk
Wharf Tavern at dusk		 Lapworth Canal Basin
Lapworth Canal Basin
Country path and gate
Country path and gate		 Sunday morning canal activity I
Sunday morning canal activity I		 Sunday morning canal activity II
Sunday morning canal activity II		 Church Lane Lock on the Stratford Canal
Church Lane Lock on the Stratford Canal
Ford on Hole House Lane
Ford on Hole House Lane		 Stratford canal evening scene
Stratford canal evening scene		 Stratford canal evening scene II
Stratford canal evening scene II		 Stratford canal evening scene III
Stratford canal evening scene III
Daffodils at Packood House
Daffodils at Packood House		 Sundial
Sundial		 Packwood House
Packwood House		 The Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount
Stratford canal evening scene IV
Stratford canal evening scene IV		 Stratford canal evening scene V
Stratford canal evening scene V		 Along Cut Throat Lane...
Along Cut Throat Lane...		 under_wharf_lane
under_wharf_lane
Nuthurst Chapel
Nuthurst Chapel		 Field on Pig Trot Lane near Umberslade Hall
Field on Pig Trot Lane near Umberslade Hall		 Gravestones at Umberslade church.
Gravestones at Umberslade church.		 Umberslade Baptist Church December 2010
Umberslade Baptist Church December 2010
Last rays of sunshine...
Last rays of sunshine...		 Nuthurst Grange Lane December 2010
Nuthurst Grange Lane December 2010		 Gate on Nuthurst Grange Lane December 2010
Gate on Nuthurst Grange Lane December 2010		 Stratford canal Sunday morning scene
Stratford canal Sunday morning scene
Lapworth Church from Nuthurst Lane
Lapworth Church from Nuthurst Lane		 Church at Tanworth in Arden
Church at Tanworth in Arden		 St. Michael's Church at Baddesley Clinton
St. Michael's Church at Baddesley Clinton		 Lapworth Church on a May evening
Lapworth Church on a May evening
The Winged Spur in Ullenhall
The Winged Spur in Ullenhall		 Oil seed rape field off Pig Trot Lane
Oil seed rape field off Pig Trot Lane		 Looking east from Danzey Green Lane
Looking east from Danzey Green Lane		 Nuthurst Lane field late evening
Nuthurst Lane field late evening
St. Mary the Virgin Church at Ullenhall
St. Mary the Virgin Church at Ullenhall		 Earlswood Lake from Malthouse Lane
Earlswood Lake from Malthouse Lane		 Packwood House evening view
Packwood House evening view		 Mays Hill in Henley-in-Arden
Mays Hill in Henley-in-Arden
Packwood House morning view.
Packwood House morning view.		 Damn, it was closed...
Damn, it was closed...		 Stratford Canal at Saddlerswell Lane
Stratford Canal at Saddlerswell Lane		 Lapworth Church from Spring Lane, July 2011
Lapworth Church from Spring Lane, July 2011
Fleur de Lys in Lowsonford
Fleur de Lys in Lowsonford		 Church of St. Luke in Lowsonford
Church of St. Luke in Lowsonford		 Evening sky over the M40 motorway
Evening sky over the M40 motorway		 Stratford Canal swing bridge evening view
Stratford Canal swing bridge evening view
Evening light over Tanworth in Arden
Evening light over Tanworth in Arden		 Obelisk Farm Sunday morning view
Obelisk Farm Sunday morning view		 Looking east from Nuthurst Lane
Looking east from Nuthurst Lane		 M40 evening rush hour
M40 evening rush hour
Church spire from canal towpath
Church spire from canal towpath		 Sunrising over the M40
Sunrising over the M40		 Sheep - early morning on Nuthurst Lane
Sheep - early morning on Nuthurst Lane		 Canal at Wharf Lane
Canal at Wharf Lane
Lapworth Church December morning
Lapworth Church December morning		 Miller and Carter Steakhouse (formerly the Nag's Head)
Miller and Carter Steakhouse (formerly the Nag's Head)

comment | share
fotabug PM reply 31-Dec-2011 15:10
A wonderful, pleasurable gallery!
bernard_ric PM reply 23-Nov-2011 21:03
I had forgotten this gallery - fantastic set of photos John. Glad I found them again.
bernard_ric PM reply 23-Nov-2011 21:02
I had forgotten this gallery - fantastic set of photos John. Glad I found them again.
Marisa D.L. PM reply 04-Nov-2011 10:20
I really appreciate this collection of pictures which describe a charming village in different times of the years and under different perspectives
larose forest photos PM reply 30-Oct-2011 20:43
This is a wonderful gallery. I love local history and of course, in Britain, there is so much going back so far. An ingenious idea for a gallery, showing your corner of the world, and a very beautiful corner it is too.
*V++*
Theresa Hewitt 12-Sep-2011 16:39
In researching my family history I find that my forebears lived in Back Lane, Hockley Heath - does anyone know if this loction still exists? Also, what was the name of the local 'pub'? I would be very grateful for any advice.
Theresa
Bracciodiferro PM reply 11-Sep-2011 07:06
I like this series very much! VVV
Paolo
Robbie D70 PM reply 17-Jul-2011 22:33
What a fantastic gallery Colin a real pleasure to view your work.
Inspirational.
Tom PM reply 09-Jul-2011 21:39
Very beautiful impressions of your home area! Excellent photography!V!
larose forest photos PM reply 18-Jun-2011 12:05
Your images paint an enticing picture of this part of England. I also enjoyed your explanation of the name and description of the area. Gorgeous set of images. V
Colin Storey PM reply 13-Feb-2011 20:40
Stunning collection of images from your local area, looks like a great place to live. v
Guest 22-Nov-2010 20:19
We live on the Stratford Road, on the plot of land directly adjacent to the Oak Pub (right hand side if travelling towards Henley). We are trying to find information about what used to be here before the current house was built in 1995. There are thousands of old bricks buried in the land which an old villager suspects are from a derelict property of large proportion? we would be grateful for any info or pictures. Thanks Debbie Enticott.
routerer PM reply 24-Jun-2010 23:46
There are so many excellent shots in this gallery John
john + V
Guest 21-May-2010 15:17
Paul Chase
I have been regularly visiting Umberslade since discovering it as a bicycling teenager with school friends in 1963. The place holds a fascination for me and I always feel a great sense of history and byegone times whenever I am able to visit the area. These photographs are so atmospheric and really capture the place. Thank you.
joseantonio PM reply 29-Apr-2010 18:26
What an exciting gallery full of marvellous pictures
sue wiltshire 23-Feb-2010 10:46
Thanks for pictures that have helped me visualise where my great great grandparents lived in wharf lane 1901
tony fisher 12-Nov-2009 22:56
I used to live at 86 Spring Lane 1977-79,can anyone tell me present owners
John Reynolds PM reply 21-Mar-2009 08:20
Little seems to be known about the obelisk. Here is a link that suggests that it was built by a local family to celebrate one of its members being enobled.
John
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/154121
Les McDonald 19-Mar-2009 08:55
We visited the Hockley Obelisk yesterday. What was this built to commemorate please ? At what cost ? Who is in charge of its upkeep. ?
Hans Chr. Sørensen PM reply 02-Aug-2008 07:07
Very nice gallery!
Esa Ervasti PM reply 08-Jul-2008 09:35
Very nice show of your corners. Good timing with light in many of your pictures.
mart s PM reply 04-Jul-2008 18:57
another very nice gallery john..
Ali Majdfar PM reply 01-Jul-2008 12:10
Fabulous collection, excellent shots. GMV
Keith O'Brien PM reply 30-Jun-2008 21:35
Fantastic gallery John, the intro and the other snippets of information are a worthwhile and interesting addition to the first class photos you've taken. V :-) Keith
Janice Dunn PM reply 19-Dec-2007 09:44
Another exciting and interesting gallery
V
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