Codsall
| Codsall | |
| Staffordshire | |
|---|---|
 Codsall railway station | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SJ870032 |
| Location: | 52°37’36"N, 2°11’32"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 7,582 (2011[1]) |
| Post town: | Wolverhampton |
| Postcode: | WV8 |
| Dialling code: | 01902 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | South Staffordshire |
Codsall is a large village and ancient parish in Staffordshire, adjacent to the border with Shropshire. It is situated north-west of the city of Wolverhampton.
History
In 1086, the Domesday Book recorded six people in Codsall. They were probably the heads of households so the population would have been a little larger. Toponymists have the name Codsall coming from the old English 'Cod's Halh' – meaning a nook of land belonging to a man named Cod (Cod being an early English personal name, possibly in shortened form).[2] The Church of St Nicholas is the oldest building. It has a Norman doorway thought to date from the 11th century. Since medieval times, the area around the church, on the top of the hill, was the hub of the village with a windmill, village pond, forge, bakery and public house. The administration of the village would have been conducted from the church through the decisions of the vestry. Agriculture was the mainstay of the village and even now the strip-field system of cultivation can be seen to the west and north-east of St Nicholas' church.
Church Street, now called Church Road, lies between the road junction and the church. There was a significant change after Codsall railway station, on the Shrewsbury and Birmingham Railway, opened in 1849. The station became the commercial hub of the village with a goods yard, coal yard and cattle pens. Development took place along Station Road and beyond with some substantial properties being built to accommodate wealthy businessmen from Wolverhampton and the Black Country.
Gradually the focus of activity changed from the area around the church and the station to the crossroads or 'Square'. Emphasis on the Square was increased after 1900 when Baker's Nurseries expanded on the site of Old Hall Farm in Church Street. The growth of public transport, with a terminus for buses to Wolverhampton in the Square, the coming of electricity and the digging of the deep sewer all in the 1920s, helped to change the function of the village from an agricultural centre into a dormitory for Wolverhampton. This has been reflected in the development of several housing estates, new schools and improved roads.
Present day
Codsall has expanded considerably since World War II, forming the largest part of three adjoining villages (the others being Bilbrook and Oaken). It is twinned with the French commune of Saint-Pryvé-Saint-Mesmin.
The village also has a cricket club called Codsall Cricket Club (Codsall CC), the club was established in 1897 and plays at the Village Hall. There is also a 3-par, 18 hole golf course (The Ledene). In the village, Codsall Community High School runs a post-16 Football Academy for their students.
The main shopping area around The Square has a variety of shops including a local wine shop. Another shopping area is around Birches Bridge, where the shops include a branch of The Co-operative Food.
Education
Codsall Community High School is the only secondary school in the area and it has three feeder middle schools; Codsall, Bilbrook and Perton. There are also three first schools; Lane Green, St. Nicholas' C of E and Birches. St Christopher's Roman Catholic Primary School is the only primary school in the area.
Public houses
Codsall has several pubs, bars and members' clubs. The oldest is The Crown Joules [1] in Codsall Square, renamed from the Crown in 2015 following the purchase of the site by Joules Brewery [2]. The Crown was briefly named 'Butlers Bar & Bistro' in 2008, but reverted to 'The Crown' in 2009. Also in Codsall Square is The Bull [3], another traditional old pub serving ale with an extensive lunchtime food menu. There is also the award-winning Codsall Station on the corner of Chapel Lane & Oaken Lanes – literally a working railway station with a Holdens Brewery pub on the platform. Codsall also has two social clubs, the Codsall Legionnaires club [4] (known locally as 'the Legion'), and The Firs [5] (formerly Codsall Conservative Club). Codsall Legionnaires club has a modern 'members bar' area, completely refurbished c2006. Its former function room has been acquired by the 'Pet Stop', a local pet shop, as approved by Codsall Parish Council in May 2011, on condition that the car park remains for public use.[3]
Notable residents
- Charles Wheeler was born in Codsall
- Bernard O'Mahoney, who since the 1990s has made his name as an author of true crime books, lived in Wilkes Road, Codsall, for some 20 years after moving from Dunstable, Bedfordshire, as a child in the 1960s. His mother lived in the village until her death in 2009.
- Jacqui Oatley sports presenter and commentator was brought up in Codsall[4]
- Geoff Palmer, right-back for Wolverhampton Wanderers during the 1970s and 1980s before serving the police force, lives in Codsall.[5]
- Darren Kenneth Matthews, known by his ring name William Regal, professional wrestler who was born and raised in Codsall (though is billed from Blackpool).
- James 'Jim' Lawrence Allen, author of "The Chronicles of Tallon" lives in Codsall.
- James Whild Lea, commonly known as Jim Lea, is a musician, most notable for playing bass guitar, keyboards, violin, guitar, and singing backing vocals in Slade from their inception until 1992, and for co-writing most of their songs. Jim lived in The Broadway (near the station) and went to Codsall Secondary Modern School (Now known as Codsall Community High School).
Transport
Codsall has a railway station on the Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton Line, with services to Shrewsbury, Telford, Wolverhampton and Birmingham. The village also has regular bus links with Wolverhampton.[6]
References
- ↑ "Civil Parish population 2011". http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11122156&c=codsall&d=16&e=62&g=6464233&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1449411290383&enc=1. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- ↑ 'Notes On Staffordshire Place Names' by W. H. Duignan (1902)
- ↑ http://www.codsallparishcouncil.co.uk/Minutes/110525p.htm Codsall Parish Council Minutes 25 May 2011
- ↑ "Mum's proud of her debut girl". www.expressandstar.com. 21 April 2007. http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2007/04/21/mums-proud-of-her-debut-girl/. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
- ↑ "Blog Archive » Palmer’s Perfect Timing". Wolves Heroes. 2009-03-03. http://www.wolvesheroes.com/2009/03/03/palmers-perfect-timing/. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ↑ Carl Berry (18 September 2012). "LISTING OF BUS AND COACH SERVICES FROM CODSALL". http://www.carlberry.co.uk/rfnlistr.asp?L1=COD003&op=D. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Codsall) |