Sutton Coldfield Local History Research Group

In 1604, Raphael Symonds, gentleman, the Warden of Sutton Coldfield (equivalent to Mayor), issued a deed of proclamation on behalf of the Corporation, effectively a lease. The Latin deed says - Know ye that we have granted to George Pudsey Esq. fu...

The unlicensed processing of animal skins was not allowed in medieval Sutton. Heavy fines were imposed by the Court Leet in 1549 - William Harman had cured or tanned two stomach linings of sheep to make parchment; John Hargreve and Ralph Gybbons, ...

Hill Wood Brook near Green Barns Lane - this used to be the boundary of Sutton Coldfield From Watford Gap the modern boundary of Sutton runs along the line of Watford Gap Road and Camp Road, but in 1824, when Mr Harris, the Commissioner for E...

Cottages at Maney, photographed in 1892 (picture courtesy of Sutton Reference Library)Miss Bracken says that the name Maney derives from the Celtic “meini”, meaning stone, in her 1860 History of the Forest and Chase of Sutton Coldfield. A prehisto...

Alwin of Arden was the Saxon Sheriff of Warwickshire at the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, and his son Turchil continued to be a powerful lord in the new reign. In the twelfth century the family was known as Arden of Wigginshill, and at the ...

Battlemented turret at New Hall, built by Charles Chadwick, with his monogramNew Hall in Sutton Coldfield has the reputation of being the oldest continuously inhabited house in England. The Earl of Warwick found the old manor house on Manor Hill u...

Coleshill Street in 1890, showing the Old Sun signboard Old Sun SC199 14.1.11 The “Old Sun” public House stood in Coleshill Street, and was demolished in 1938 to make way for Vesey Gardens. It was on the opposite side of the road ...

By Act of Parliament dated 1824 the surveyor John Harris was appointed to be the Commissioner for the Enclosure of the commons of Sutton Coldfield. One of his first duties was to define the boundaries of Sutton, and he did this by making a perambu...

In Sutton Coldfield local historians have been fortunate to have access to the research collections held in the local history section of Sutton Coldfield Library. The Local History Research Group recently celebrated 25 years of research, members a...

One of the biggest farms in Sutton in 1820 was Wylde Green Farm, with over 190 acres. The farmhouse (now demolished) stood on the south side of Wylde Green Road, and the ancient farmland lay to the south of the farm, extending as far as Walmley Go...