Yardley in Birmingham

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Yardley

Yardley is in the South Yardley ward and the Stechford & Yardley North ward in east Birmingham, four miles from the city centre. The surrounding areas are Sheldon, Stechford, Stockfield, Tyseley, Kitts Green, Hay Mills and Bordesley Green.

Yardley is a corruption of "gyrd leah" which means a clearing (leah) of around one quarter acre (gyrd). By 1086, Yardley was a prosperous manor centred on Saint Edburgha's Church. It is recorded in the Domesday Book as belonging to Pershore Abbey. The original village is now a conservation zone screened by Old Yardley Park.

Yardley remained largely rural until annexed by Birmingham in 1911. Rapid urbanisation occurred after the First World War and most of the current housing stock consists of short terraces and semi-detached houses built on open fields between 1920 and 1960.

Higher density council estates were added in the 1960's including three high-rise towers at the Yew Tree Shopping Centre and one at the Swan Shopping Centre.

Bus Routes through Yardley

The following bus routes run through Yardley: 11A/C, 13, 17, 42, 58, 60, 97, 169, 876, 900, 957

Bus Routes through Birmingham

Demographics, Politics and Housing in Yardley

The part of Yardley to the west of Stoney Lane, Yew Tree Lane and Rowlands Road is in the South Yardley ward and the part to the east is in the Stechford and Yardley North ward.

This website contains information about demographics, politics and housing in the South Yardley ward and demographics, politics and housing in the Stechford & Yardley North ward.

Accident Blackspots in Yardley

Motorist Cut from Crash Wreckage on Richmond Road

A motorist was cut from crash wreckage following a two-vehicle-collision on Richmond Road at around 2.45pm on Monday 25th July 2011 (News Headlines 27/07/11).

Coventry Road

There was a three car collision on the A45 Coventry Road at roughly 8am on Monday 6th September 2010.

News Archive 07/09/10

A woman died after she was hit by a car outside the New Inn on the A45 Coventry Road in the early hours of Saturday 21st August 2010.

News Archive 21/08/10

Crime in Yardley

Man Jailed for Sexual Relationship with Adult Daughter

A 47-year-old man from Kestrel Avenue in Yardley, who had a 4-year sexual relationship with his 25-year-old daughter, was jailed for 10 months at Birmingham Crown Court in August 2011 (News Headlines 07/08/11).

Woman Jailed For Dealing Cocaine on the Ring

A 32-year-old woman was was caught with a kilo of cocaine with an estimated street value of around £40,000 when police raided her home on the Ring in December 2010; she was jailed for 6 years for drug dealing at Birmingham Crown Court in July 2011 (News Headlines 31/07/11).

Robbery at First Choice Travel on Church Road

Two masked men robbed First Choice Travel on Church Road at knifepoint at 11.30am on Thursday 7 April; it was the second robbery at this branch in barely 6 weeks; two men armed with a machete stole £6,500 from the safe on Wednesday 16/02/11 (News Headlines 09/04/11).

Robberies Brum 2011

Burglar Arrested at Journeys End Pub in Yardley

A police patrol car spotted three burglars breaking into the Journeys End pub on Clay Lane at around 4.30am on Wednesday 6 April. One of the men was arrested but the other two escaped in a stolen vehicle which was later abandoned on the Coventry Road (News Headlines 07/04/11).

Travel Agents Robbed on Church Road

Staff at First Choice Travel on Church Road were threatened with a machete by two men who stole roughly £6,500 cash shortly before 5pm on Wednesday 16/02/11 (News Archive 07/03/11)

Robberies Brum 2011

Burglars Stab Man on Sunnymead Road

A 24 year-old man was stabbed as 5 masked burglars raided his flat on Sunnymead Road on the evening of Tuesday 11/01/11 (News Report 13/01/11)

Assaults/Stabbings Brum 2011

Cashbox Snatch on Coventry Road

A security guard was robbed of his cashbox outside Farmfoods on the Coventry Road in Yardley at around 1.15pm on Thursday 16th December 2010. The thief escaped in a waiting getaway car; two 22 year-old suspects were arrested shortly afterwards when their vehicle crashed on Amington Road in Tyseley (News Archive 19/12/10)

Robberies Brum 2010

Drugs Raid on Clements Road

Drugs and £15,000 in cash were seized during a police raid at a house on Clements Road on Wednesday 25th August 2010 (News Archive 26/08/10).

Distraction Burglar from Clement Road Jailed

A 34-year-old drug addict has been jailed for 7 years at Birmingham Crown Court for two distraction burglaries in which he gained access to pensioners' homes by pretending to be a pest control officer/water board official (News Archive 01/08/10).

Fire and Firefighting in Yardley

Roof Collapses in House Fire on Cambridge Way

Firefighters attended a burning house on Cambridge Way at around 5pm on Sunday 12th June 2011 but were unable to prevent the roof, which had already suffered severe structural damage, from collapsing (News Headlines 14/06/11).

Fire & Firefighting Brum

Churches in Yardley

Saint Edburgha's

St. Edburgha's on Church Road is the C of E parish church of Yardley; it dates from the 13th century and is built in sandstone with a chancel, nave, aisles, west tower & octagonal spire.

The oldest parts of the church are the chancel & nave; they were rebuilt in the 14th century; the transepts were added shortly afterwards; the north aisle, spire, tower and timber-framed porch date from the 15th century; the chancel was enlarged and the vestry added in the 1890's.

The interior features a Jacobean pulpit, an alabaster slab (1492) inscribed Thomas & Marion Est, and a West Window by Hardman (1892) that depicts the Last Supper.

There is a curious curtained cave in the chancel with statues of former vicar Henry Greswolde, his wife and medallion portraits of their 11 children (circa 1700).

The 30-metre spire requires urgent repair and will probably be rebuilt in 2011 (News Archive 18/02/10).

Thieves stole three 8ft lengths of lead from the church roof during the night of Wednesday 11th August/Thursday 12th August 2010 (News Archive 13/08/10).

More lead was stolen from the church roof under cover of darkness on Monday 31st January and Sunday 6th February 2011 (News Archive 11/02/11)

T 0121 783 4736 Church Road B33 8PD

Landmark Churches - Old Yardley Conservation Area - St Edburgha's Website

St Michael and All Angels C of E

St Michael and All Angels (1912) is an Anglican church on Yew Tree Lane.

Yew Tree Lane B26 1AP - 0121 706 7811 - Map

Churches in Birmingham

Primary Schools in Yardley

Yardley Primary School

Yardley School on Harvey Road is a community co-educational primary school attended by approximately 625 children aged between four and eleven.

Harvey Road B26 1TD 0121 464 3235 Map

Secular State Primary Schools Yardley School Website

Blakesley Hall School

Blakesley Hall School on Yardley Green Road is a community co-educational primary school attended by roughly six hundred pupils aged between four and eleven.

Yardley Green Road B33 8TH 0121 783 2148 Map

Secular State Primary Schools

Gilbertstone Primary

Gibertstone School on Clay Lane is a community co-educational primary school attended by roughly 450 children aged between three and eleven.

Clay Lane B26 1EH 0121 464 4664 Map

Secular State Primary Schools

Hobmoor Primary School

Hobmoor School on Wash Lane is a community co-educational primary school attended by roughly 470 children aged between three and eleven.

Wash Lane B25 8FD 0121 675 3269 Map

Secular State Primary Schools Hobmoor Primary Website

St Bernadette's RC School

St Bernadette's RC School on Hobmoor Road is a Roman Catholic voluntary-aided co-educational primary school attended by roughly 660 children aged between four and eleven.

Hobmoor Road B25 8QL 0121 783 7232 Map

Faith Primary Schools in Brum St Bernadette's School Website

Sports Clubs In Yardley

Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club

Sheldon Marlborough Cricket club is based on Foliot Fields off Stoney Lane; it is an amateur club, established in 1906, that fields 3 senior Saturday teams, 3 senior Sunday teams, a mixed team and under 16, under 15 and under 13 teams.

The first XI plays in Division 1 of the Warwickshire League.

Links: Sports Clubs Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club Website

Yardley Tennis Club

Yardley Tennis Club was founded in 1884; it features a Victorian pavilion and four hardcore courts.

Yardley is one of the oldest tennis clubs in the world; however, its facilities are in a state of disrepair and its membership has dwindled.

The LTA has indicated that it might fund repairs if the club gets one quarter of all local primary schoolchildren involved in tennis (News Archive 02/03/10).

Queens Road B26 Map

Sports Club in Birmingham

5-a-Side Soccer Centres in Yardley

Power League

Power League run a 5-a-side soccer centre on Sedgmere Road.

21-25 Sedgemere Road B26 2AX - 0121 508 4400 - Map

Power League Website

Health Services in Yardley

Hobmoor Road Surgery

533 Hobmoor Road B25 8TH - 0844 477 2479 - Map

Health Centres & GP Surgeries in Brum

Manor House Lane Surgery

1 Manor House Lane B26 1PE - 0121 743 2273 - Map

Health Centres & GP Surgeries in Brum

Rowlands Road Surgery

15 Rowlands Road B26 1AT - 0121 706 6623 - Map

Health Centres & GP Surgeries in Brum

Swan Medical Centre

4 Willard Road B25 8AA - 0121 706 0337 - Map

Health Centres & GP Surgeries in Brum

Yardley Medical Centre

1222 Coventry Road B25 8BY - 0121 772 1898 - Map

Health Centres & GP Surgeries in Brum

Hotels in Yardley

Travelodge @ Yardley

The Travelodge is at 1741 Coventry Road, 5 miles from the city centre and half a mile from the Swan shopping centre. The lodge contains double and family bedrooms; there are 64 free parking spaces; wi-fi is available; a Macdonalds restaurant and other eateries are nearby.

Links: Hotels Travelodge Website

Tower Blocks in Yardley

The Yew Tree Three

There is a group of three 6 storey refurbished tower blocks next to the Yew Tree Shopping Centre in Yardley. They are:

Danesmoor House (map) and Frogmoor House (map) on Hob Moor Road and Gosmoor House (m ap) on Yew Tree Lane.

High Rise Brum

Bakeman House

Bakeman House is a refurbished 10 storey sixties tower block above the Swan Shopping Centre on the A45 Coventry Road.

It will be preserved during the redevelopment of the Swan Shopping Centre and is currently used as sheltered housing for the elderly.

Coventry Road B26 1AA Map

High Rise Brum

Wheeldon House

Wheeldon House on Longley Crescent is an 11 storey tower block in South Yardley.

Longley Crescent B26 1DP Map

High Rise Brum

Industry in Yardley

Yardley contains a large industrial belt sandwiched between the Birmingham and Warwick Canal and the A45 Coventry Road which provides hi-speed access to Birmingham Airport and the M42.

Factories in Yardley

Euro Packaging

Euro Packaging on Brickfield Road manufactures packaging products with an estimated workforce of 300.

20 Brickfield Road B25 8HE 0121 764 7100 Map

Factories in Brum Euro Packaging Website

Museums in Yardley

Blakesley Hall

Blakesley Hall is a half-timbered Tudor farmhouse (circa 1590) on Blakesley Road that has been converted into a museum by Birmingham City Council. The museum includes the Great and Little Parlours, Long Gallery and bedchambers, one of which features a Tudor mural.

The hall is screened from surrounding urbanisation by a walled orchard and herb garden that contains the Sutton Coldfield stocks and Gilbertstone erratic.

There is a cafe, shop, exhibition hall and a converted 17th century barn used by school groups.

The museum is only open during the summer. Admission is generally free but a charge may be made for some exhibitions and events.

Links: Museums Birmingham Museum Website

Listed Buildings in Yardley

Blakesley Hall

Blakesley Hall (circa 1590) is on Blakesley Road; it is a timber-framed farmhouse with a wattle-and-daub infill faced with lime.

The exterior features vertical timber studding on the ground floor and herring-bone patterns on the first floor. A brick kitchen was built onto the rear in around 1650 and a brick extension added to the right side in the 18th century.

Blakesley Hall was built by Richard Smallbroke who left it to his third wife in 1613; she survived her husband by 66 years, being just 16 at the time of his death. The house was inherited by the sons of her second husband, Henry Devereux, who sold to the Rector of Solihull. It was then occupied by tenant farmers until 1932 when it was converted into a museum by Birmingham City Council.

Links: Secular Listed Buildings Blakesley Hall Museum

Yardley Old Grammar

Yardley Old Grammar on Church Road is a 4-bay 2-storey timber-frame building that dates from around 1490; the exterior features vertical studding; there is some Victorian brick facing on the rear facade.

The left gable end and first floor are jettied; the right bay has a painted-brick ground floor. Two Victorian cottages have been built onto the right end: the first is a two-storey painted-brick house with a dentilled cornice; the second is a two-storey red-brick house with a splendid panelled door.

Links: Secular Listed Buildings Old Yardley Conservation Area

Old Yardley Village Conservation Area

The Old Yardley Conservation Area, which is roughly half a mile from the modern town centre, contains the historic village of Yardley centred on Saint Edburgha's Church of Saxon origin.

Other listed buildings include the half-timbered Old Grammar School, the Georgian Talbot Inn, now a private house, and the Victorian church hall.

The designated area also includes several Victorian villas and a row of 18th century cottages.

Links: Old Yardley Conservation Area

Open Spaces in Yardley

Yardley Old Park

Yardley Old Park is a 30 acre open space that serves as a backdrop to St Edburgha's Church and the Old Village Conservation Area.

The park contains copses, meadows, landscaped pathways, hard courts, playgrounds, and playing fields.

Travellers set up an unlawful camp at Yardley Old Park in August 2010 (News Archive 09/08/10).

Open Spaces in Birmingham Map

Yardley Old Village Conservation Area

Blakesley Hall Recreation Ground

Blakesley Hall Recreation Ground is a 4 acre playing field behind the historic Tudor Blakesley Hall.

A courtyard and wooded embankment screens the hall from the recreation ground and neighbouring housing estate.

Open Spaces in Birmingham Map

Gilbertstone Recreation Ground

The Gilbertstone Recreation Ground is a 35 acre park with playgrounds, playing fields and tennis courts. The landscape includes tree clusters and the remains of a medieval moat.

Open Spaces in Birmingham Map

Yardley Cemetery

Yardley Cemetery is a 62 acre burial ground that opened in 1883 and no longer accepts new burials save in private family graves.

The site contains a crematorium, chapel , vestry, toilets and Gardens of Remembrance.

Yardley Road B25 8NA 0121 708 1831

Open Spaces in Birmingham Map

Shopping Centres in Yardley

JD Wetherspoon to Convert former Woolworths into Pub

JD Wetherspoon will convert the former Woolworth store on Church Road into a pub; work should be completed by March 2012 (News Headlines 06/09/11).

Yew Tree Shopping Centre

The Yew Tree Retail Park is located at the junction of Church Road, Hob Moor Road, Stoney Lane and Yew Tree Lane.

It occupies the site of the former Yew Tree pub (circa 1920) that was converted into restaurant and retail units in 2002. These include branches of Boots and KFC, the Indian restaurant Mint, a Co-op food store and the modern Yew Tree Pub.

The surrounding streets contain parades of shops, workshops and commercial properties which are mainly small local businesses although some secondary national chains such as Subway, William Hill and Ladbrokes are represented.

In July 2010, the planning committee allowed a former newsagents to re-open as the 12th food outlet in this area. Opponents argued that the Yew Tree was losing its character as a retail centre with increasingly fewer shops and ever more restaurants and takeaways (News Archive 16/07/10).

Swan Shopping Centre

The Swan Shopping Centre on the A45 Coventry Road is being redeveloped by Tesco as a superstore, petrol station and car park.

Tesco will preserve Bakeman House: a 10-storey residential tower on the site.

This project was delayed by the landowner's refusal to sell the site to Tesco because he supported an alternative plan for a traditional community shopping centre.

However, in February 2010 government inspectors ruled that Birmingham City Council could compulsorily purchase the site which was then re-assigned to Tesco (News Archive 19/02/10).

Work on the superstore, which had been suspended pending this decision, did not resume as planned in May 2010 (News Archive 04/05/10) and John Hemming, the local MP, complained about the lack of progress (News Archive 09/09/10).

In November 2010, Tesco renegotiated its contribution of £3 million towards the development of the Oaklands Recreation Ground which had been agreed when planning permission for the superstore was initially granted in 2002 (News Archive 15/11/10).

Work resumed shortly after the council agreed to reduce this liability by £300,000 (News Archive 25/11/10).

The road system has been reconfigured to accommodate the development; in particular, Church Road has been widened and re-routed with the insertion of a roundabout at its junction with Harvey Road. The new road system opened in June 2011 (News Headlines 13/06/11)

Key National Retailers in Yardley

Boots

Boots is at the Yew Tree Retail Park B25 8RE, T 0121 783 2403

Boots Website