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Hockley Heath: pictures and history

A few images from our home village of Hockley Heath in the borough of Solihull, West Midlands. Pictures of the Stratford on Avon canal which runs through this village can be found in the Canal and Waterways gallery.

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].

The seperate gallery of old deeds contains some scans of documents relating to the land between Stratford Road, Spring Lane and the Stratford upon Avon canal.
Parish Church of Nuthurst and Hockley Heath
Parish Church of Nuthurst and Hockley Heath
Wharf Tavern Hockley Heath
Wharf Tavern Hockley Heath
King George VI Memorial Hall
King George VI Memorial Hall
Nuthurst Lane Evening Light
Nuthurst Lane Evening Light
Nuthurst Lane field November morning
Nuthurst Lane field November morning
Gateway to field
Gateway to field
Nuthurst lane field
Nuthurst lane field
Obelisk Farm Approach
Obelisk Farm Approach
Nuthurst Lane Hockley Heath
Nuthurst Lane Hockley Heath
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
Hockley Heath morning sky
Hockley Heath morning sky
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
Pony trap convoy, Spring Lane
Pony trap convoy, Spring Lane
Little Spring Coppice
Little Spring Coppice
Lane to Baptist Church
Lane to Baptist Church
Broken tree
Broken tree
Lapworth Church from Lane
Lapworth Church from Lane
Lapworth Church from Spring Lane
Lapworth Church from Spring Lane
Lapworth Church from Spring Lane II
Lapworth Church from Spring Lane II
Lapworth Church tower
Lapworth Church tower
Lapworth War Memorial
Lapworth War Memorial
Nuthurst Grange Lane field
Nuthurst Grange Lane field
Canalside tree
Canalside tree
Canal boatyard
Canal boatyard
Gateway to Obelisk
Gateway to Obelisk
Approaching Obelisk Farm
Approaching Obelisk Farm
Gateway
Gateway
Nuthurst Lane
Nuthurst Lane
Nuthurst Lane II
Nuthurst Lane II
Obelisk Farm from Nuthurst Lane
Obelisk Farm from Nuthurst Lane
St.Thomas Church Hockley Heath
St.Thomas Church Hockley Heath
Umberslade Hall
Umberslade Hall
Obelisk Farm from Nuthurst Lane
Obelisk Farm from Nuthurst Lane
Obelisk Farm from Pound House  Lane
Obelisk Farm from Pound House 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
Frozen canal I
Frozen canal I
Frozen canal II
Frozen canal II
Frozen canal III
Frozen canal III
Nuthurst Lane junction with Spring Lane
Nuthurst Lane junction with Spring Lane
Church gate
Church gate
Church gate II
Church gate II
Spring Lane winter evening
Spring Lane winter evening
St Thomas church on a winter evening
St Thomas church on a winter evening
Obelisk evening view
Obelisk evening view
Obelisk and farm
Obelisk and farm
Newspaper cutting
Newspaper cutting
Obelisk and M40
Obelisk and M40
Wharf Lane cottages
Wharf Lane cottages
Canal and tree
Canal and tree
Canal from Wharf Lane
Canal from Wharf Lane
lock_23_stratford_canal
lock_23_stratford_canal
Tree beside lane
Tree beside lane
Avenue of trees in winter
Avenue of trees in winter
Railway crossing avenue of trees
Railway crossing avenue of trees
Railway bridge
Railway bridge
Gate and shadows
Gate and shadows
Nuthurst Lane December 2009
Nuthurst Lane December 2009
Nuthurst Lane junction December 2009
Nuthurst Lane junction December 2009
Frozen pond December 2009
Frozen pond December 2009
Tree and shadow December 2009
Tree and shadow December 2009
Spring Lane fields New Years Day 2010
Spring Lane fields New Years Day 2010
Spring Lane fields New Years Day 2010 no II
Spring Lane fields New Years Day 2010 no II
From Saddlers Well Lane bridge
From Saddlers Well Lane bridge
Stratford Canal at Saddlers Well Lane
Stratford Canal at Saddlers Well Lane
Stratford Canal New Years Day 2010
Stratford Canal New Years Day 2010
Horse wanting a treat
Horse wanting a treat
Lapworth Church from Spring Lane Lapworth
Lapworth Church from Spring Lane Lapworth
January 2010 i
January 2010 i
January 2010 ii
January 2010 ii
January 2010 iii
January 2010 iii
January 2010 iv
January 2010 iv
January 2010 v
January 2010 v
January 2010 vi
January 2010 vi
January 2010 vii
January 2010 vii