About Moseley and Local History
about
Moseley sits just a couple of miles to the south of Birmingham city centre. Bordered by Sparkhill, Springfield, Kings Heath, Edgbaston, Selly Oak and Balsall Heath, Moseley has retained it’s charming village atmosphere due in no small part to the attractive Victorian buildings at the heart of the area housing long-established stores, more recent bars and restaurants along with good quality food and health shops. The odd antique emporium, a smattering of individual boutiques, craft shops and other independent retailers & off-beat stores all help to create a distinct and vibrant feel quite different to anywhere else in Birmingham.
There is a well defined and established community spirit and ethos in Moseley which is rare these days. The Moseley Society exists to protect the heritage of the area with regular meetings held to debate topical issues. A monthly farmers' market is organised by the Moseley Neighbourhood Forum and this was recently voted the Urban Farmers Market of the Year 2009. (voted by the National Farmers Retail and Markets Association). Other Moseley happenings throughout the year include Britain in Bloom (Silver Gilt winner, 2008), the Moseley Folk Festival, a variety of art and craft exhibitions and lots of community-focused events.
local history
Moseley was situated in the manor of Kings Norton and with its absentee landlord, it was possible for yeomen to improve their status of prosperous gentry. In 1086 Domesday Book listed the area as a “Berewick of Bromsgroev”, and Moseley as “Muselei”, which could possibly be translated as “Field Mice Clearing”, a Saxon name. It was ideally located for a settlement with an oak forest to the west and north and boggy meadows on the edge of a river which could be dammed, providing food, grazing, timber and water.
Tudor Moseley comprised a collection of half timbered houses gathered around the Green at Alcester Road and St Mary’s Row and Moseley Old Hall (demolished in 1842), home of the Grevis family, was situated near to the present St Anne’s Church, Alcester Rd. Thomas Grevis was a prosperous yeoman until the reign of Henry viii and at the time of the Dissolution, he bought a number of estates which had been confiscated from religious houses and thus came to be a notable landowner in Moseley, South Yardley and Monyhull.
Sir Richard Grevis held high office under James I and lived in Moseley Old Hall, off Alcester Road. His descendent, also called Richard, built a mansion in parkland in 1681 on the site of the present Moseley Hall. The park was bounded by Park Hill, Alcester Road and ancient footpaths which are now known as Moor Green Lane and Russell Road and on the southern edge was a wall and ha-ha.
The Grevis family lived beyond their means, leading to the eventual sale of their land. Henshaw Grevis, the last in the line sold all that remained of the estate in 1766 in order to pay off debts.
In 1766 John Taylor, successful businessman and co-founder of Lloyd’s Bank, bought the Yardley estates, together with the lordship, and as a residence for his family, Moseley Hall. The Hall burnt down in riots in 1791 and was rebuilt five years later by John Taylor ll whose descendents lived here until 1852.
Moseley in the late 19th century had become a prosperous suburb, largely due to the effect of the railway station and its proximity to the city centre.
By 1890 housing had spread from Balsall Heath to Moseley along the Alcester Road with some very fine houses many of which remain. Moseley was joined by urban development to Birmingham, but not to Kings Heath until the beginning of the 20th century. The district is referred to as Moseley while the centre retains its name as Moseley Village.
Moseley railway station was open between 1867 through to 1941 and was operated by the Midland Railway on the Camp Hill line. A ‘Moseley Station’ on the same line changed it’s name to Kings Heath Station on it’s opening.
During the last quarter of the 20th century Moseley developed a reputation as Birmingham's Bohemian quarter. This may be due to the fact that many of the large Victorian houses became unviable for family use and were turned into flats and bed-sits which attracted a student population. When they became employed some stayed on to buy and restore the old buildings. There is consequently a wide social mix in the district and a village centre with a variety of restaurants, pubs and music venues as well as some interesting small shops. There is also an annual Moseley Festival which includes a street fair and a folk festival which is held in Moseley Park.
On the afternoon of 28th July 2005 Moseley was hit by a tornado which wreaked damage on several roads in the area. Trees were uprooted, many homes were damaged, cars crushed and roads blocked.
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