Walsall History

History from 1159

In a grant to Herbert Rufus, Walsall was created a Royal Manor by Henry II. Walsall went on to acquire the familiar crest of a bear with a ragged staff in the fifteenth century from Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, also known as the 'king-maker'. From 1200 onwards St Matthews was Walsall's parish church standing, as is typical with medieval settlements, at the highest point some 500 feet above sea level on what came to be known as Church Hill. The present building still contains the original thirteenth century crypt complete with Norman arch despite periods of restoration, most notably in 1843 when the then verger, a Mr Longmore, went to investigate the presence of gas with a lighted candle! The resulting explosion caused the loss of several pews and precious Pre-Reformation glass. Mr Longmore was killed and the fatal candle preserved in the Old Queen's Head Inn (demolished in 1874).

The packed housing around Church Hill was known for its slums and unsanitary conditions and the entire area, which included a good many drinking houses, was demolished in the early part of the 1900s. Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, the renowned landscape artist, designed St Matthew's walled Memorial Gardens in 1950-1.

The foot of the steep stone steps leading up to St Matthews was once the site of the town's stocks, removed when public parading of criminals ceased to be in favour. Photographs preserved at the Local History Centre in Essex Street depict the stocks in use during the latter part of the nineteenth century, miscreants for the most part apparently ignored by busy market shoppers. Church Hill looks down onto the High Street, once Walsall's only through route, and the traditional site of the market in operation since 1220. The Dragon Inn, from where a bell used to be rung indicating the close of daily trading, survives, as does the Guild Hall next door. Once the local Magistrates Court this has been renovated in keeping with its historical significance incorporating what were police cells into the novelty of small high quality retail units. The CID offices opposite were not so fortunate; they have been demolished to make way for Sainsbury's supermarket.

Towards the lower end of the High Street is Walsall's first undercover shopping centre. The Arcade was the inspiration of leather manufacturer and MP Sir E T Holden at the turn of the last century. Walsall now has two further indoor shopping arenas: The Saddlers Centre, providing access to Walsall's railway station, and The Old Square, neither of which, unlike the Victorian Arcade, can boast that their cellars were utilised as an air raid shelter during World War II.

The Bridge

The bridge is so called because there once was a bridge on the site and even as late as 1912 the brook had not been completely covered, and up until the 1930's Park Street experienced periodic flooding until a storm drain was fitted. Digbeth, bordering the High Street, literally means 'dyke path'. Where Tesco now stands was once site of the lavish 'George Hotel'. Originally built in 1781 it was completely re-built in equally grand style during the 1920's. Film star Mickey Rooney stayed there during World War II. This later building was demolished in 1979. The paved area at the junction linking Park Street with the High Street (both of which are pedestrianised) has been subject to recent re-development as part of the Millennium celebrations; steps, a fountain and ornamental trees have been added to what has become known, unofficially, as 'The Civic Square'. Sister Dora, the six-foot bronze cast of Walsall's premier heroine, continues to dominate the scene as she has always done in one form or another since 1886 (for more on Sister Dora check under 'Famous People').

St Pauls Church

St Pauls Church was re-built during the closing years of the nineteenth century this has now been further developed as an award winning retail initiative incorporating shops, restaurants and conference centre known as 'The Crossing at St Paul's'. Opposite to St Paul's is the new bus station.

A bus station was first constructed on the site in 1935. This was demolished to make way for a new 'improved' version in 1970. This in turn was replaced and the present day bus station is by far the most ambitious winning an award for excellence. Originally the site was home to Blue Coat School now located in Springfield Road.

Queen Mary's Grammar School

Founded in 1554 by 'Bloody' Queen Mary daughter of Henry VIII and half-sister to Queen Elizabeth I for the 'education and improvement' of 66 local boys in a small building on Church Hill. A girl's school was added in 1893 whose current location is on the south side of town. School motto: Quas dederis solas semper habebis ope. 'What you give will be your only riches.'

The Arboretum

In the nineteenth century a private company tabled the idea of flooding a quarry in order to provide recreational and leisure facilities. When this venture failed the council took over in 1871 creating Walsall's first public park, a few minutes walk from the town centre and covering 79 acres of trees, walkways and sports venues. During World War II 100 allotments were allocated in support of Dig for Victory, and for the last fifty years during September and October the Arboretum is host to Walsall Illuminations: Britain's biggest in-shore light and laser show. The Arboretum Boating Lake is so deep that the remains of a bolting horse and its cart was never recovered.

The Library

In 1859 Walsall was only the third town to adopt the Act of that year and open it's own library. In 1872 the library moved to Goodall Street and was enlarged in 1887, eventually moving to new premises, and it's current location in Lichfield Street, in 1906 courtesy of an £8000 gift from industrialist and champion of literacy Andrew Carnegie. Today the library has on permanent display in its museum section 'Walsall Inside Out' an audio-visual account of Walsall's past comprising domestic as well as industrial items with images of long-gone buildings.