Quinton, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Quinton |
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| Ward | |
 Hagley Road West, Quinton |
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 Quinton
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| Population | 24,174 (2011 Ward) |
| OS grid reference | SO990846 |
| Metropolitan borough | |
| Metropolitan county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Birmingham |
| Postcode district | B32 |
| Post town | Oldbury |
| Postcode district | B68 |
| Dialling code | 0121 |
| Police | West Midlands |
| Fire | West Midlands |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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| Councillors |
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Quinton, is a residential area and ward of Birmingham, England just under 5 miles (8 km) west of the city centre. Along with Bartley Green, Harborne and Edgbaston, Quinton is a part of the Birmingham Edgbaston constituency.
Contents
Geography
Quinton borders the Birmingham suburbs of Harborne and Bartley Green and the Black Country area of Warley, and is separated by the M5 motorway from the Black Country town of Halesowen. It covers an area of 4.8 square kilometres (2 sq mi); its population was recorded in the 2001 UK census as 23,084, though its boundaries have since expanded slightly. The eastern parts of it were formerly known as "Ridgacre", with Quinton or "The Quinton" being the area now around the church.
The Old Quinton area, in the west of Quinton, contains the highest point in Birmingham at 224 metres above sea level, and the top of the spire of the (Church of England) Christ Church is the highest point of any building in Birmingham. The escarpment a little to the west also forms part of the national watershed, dividing the catchment areas of the River Severn and the River Trent.
The largest open space is Woodgate Valley Country Park, through which the Bourne Brook flows, dividing Quinton from Woodgate, South Woodgate and Bartley Green.
History
Before the Church was built, it was part of the ancient parish of Halesowen and was largely owned in medieval times by the wealthy abbey at Lapal near Halesowen. The parish was generally known as Ridgacre until 1901, and formed, with the most of rest of Halesowen parish, a detached part of Shropshire until moving to Worcestershire in 1844. The area had developed along the Kidderminster and Birmingham Road, which had been turnpiked.
In the 1840s, it was mentioned, then called The Quinton, that there were two small coal mines in the area and that the inhabitants were employed in nail manufacturing. Christ Church was constructed in 1840 at a cost of £2,500.
Though this area (including the Christ Church and its associated primary school) dates back to the Victorian era, and Quinton was formally removed from Worcestershire and incorporated into the county borough of Birmingham, in Warwickshire, on 9 November 1909; a tree was planted by Birmingham's Lord Mayor in Quinton Recreation Ground to commemorate the centenary. Quinton remained in character a village rather than a suburb until the large-scale private housing development of the 1930s.
Factory developments were not planned for the area as a result of objections by residents of Edgbaston to the possibility of fumes being blown over to their area by the wind.
The expanded Quinton of that time was fictionalised as "Tilton" by Francis Brett Young in his novel Mr & Mrs Pennington.
Quinton became, with the rest of Birmingham, part of the metropolitan county of the West Midlands on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972.
Population and housing
The 2001 Population Census recorded that 23,084 people were living in Quinton. 14.5% (3,301) of the ward's population consisted of ethnic minorities compared with 29.6% for Birmingham. 71.7% of the population of Quinton stated Christianity as their religion.
Much of Quinton's housing on the Ridgacre estate consists of medium-sized private semi-detached houses from the 1930s and 1940s. Construction of the housing estate was halted during World War II. In the 1950s, council houses typical of the period were built in the remaining spaces. There is a concentration of low-rise council housing on the Woodgate Valley estate, and higher-rise blocks on the Welsh House Farm estate, though this was designated until 2004 as part of Harborne. The older part of Quinton, the original Quinton village in the area around the C of E church on Hagley Road known as The Quinton, is built largely of Victorian terraced houses and contains, on High Street, the Nailers Cottage which is the oldest building in the area. The area is almost entirely residential, though there are typical small local service businesses and an office park has recently been developed on the Quinton Meadows site adjacent to the motorway.
Demography
The 2001 Population Census recorded that 23,084 people were living in Quinton. 14.5% (3,301) of the ward's population consisted of ethnic minorities compared with 29.6% for Birmingham. 71.7% of the population of Quinton stated Christianity as their religion.
Sport
Quinton is home to two amateur football teams, Quinton Magpies and Quinton Rangers, both play in the Warley and District Football League. A healthy local rivalry has been built up over several years.
Education and community facilities
Quinton has one secondary school, Four Dwellings Academy and four primary schools; Quinton Church Primary, World's End Junior, Woodhouse Primary Academy and Four Dwellings Primary Academy. Quinton Church Primary School's roots go back to 1846, six years after the consecration of Christ Church. Pitts Wood, a small ancient woodland designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation adjoins Woodhouse Primary Academy and is used by the school for environmental education.
Quinton Library on the corner of Overdale Road and Ridgacre Road opened on 2 June 1974. Adjoining the library is Quinborne Community Centre whose roots go back to 1938 at the former Edgbaston Golf Clubhouse. Quinborne is an amalgam of Quinton and Harborne. The centre includes a stage and indoor sports facility, Bennett Hall, built in 1958 from funds donated by the late Lord Peter Bennett. The community association offers academic, activity and social classes. There is also a pre-school nursery and youth club.
The area is served by three post offices: Quinton post office is on Hagley Road West in Quinton village, Faraday Avenue post office is on Worlds End Lane and West Boulevard post office is on Court Oak Road.
Quinton police station is on Quinton Road West, but is permanently closed and the building set to be sold off.
The main supermarkets are Tesco on the corner of Ridgacre Lane and Ridgacre Road built in 2007 on the site of Birmingham Corporation's Quinton bus depot and Asda on Hagley Road West which opened in October 2011 on the site of the Kings Highway public house.
Quinton Cemetery covering 51 acres (21 ha) opened in 1923 and although in Halesowen is owned and maintained by Birmingham City Council. The office and Registrar’s house were built in 1936.
The Reel Cinema, again just over the border in Halesowen, opened in 1939 as the Danilo. Renamed the Essoldo in 1954, it was threatened with demolition in 1967 as it was on the proposed route of the M5 motorway. The cinema survived and was multi-screened in 1973 as the Quinton Classic.
Quinton Art Festival was established in 2001 and takes place annually at the Methodist Church hall over three days in May. There are up to 300 paintings and drawings on display along with craft stalls, flower displays and art demonstrations, plus a Friday evening concert.
Public transport
National Express West Midlands buses serve the area. Buses from Birmingham city centre to Stourbridge (service no. 9), Wolverhampton (X8) and Gornal Wood (X10) all stop along Hagley Road West. Service no. 24 Birmingham - Woodgate Valley North stops on Court Oak Road, Ridgacre Road, Ridgacre Lane, Highfield Lane, Simmons Drive and Quinton Road West. Services also run to Dudley and Q.E. Hospital (service no. 19), West Bromwich (54) and Longbridge (39 - operated by Kevs Cars and Coaches).
Notable people
- Keith Law, songwriter for Velvett Fogg, lived in High Street.
- Adrian Chiles
- Bill Oddie
- Joleon Lescott, grew up in Quinton and attended the Four Dwellings High School
- The Twang, an indie band who were formed in Quinton.
Images for kids
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Nailer's Cottage on Ridgacre Road West
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Quinton Meadows looking north to the business park
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The Quinton Expressway (A456) looking south
